


This Life and the Next

by Luvless34



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: F/M, non-canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-13 01:34:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 71,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28645302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luvless34/pseuds/Luvless34
Summary: Tifa Lockhart appeared on the front steps of the Honeybee Inn with no memory of who she was and where she came from. Living a life as a dancer, she struggles to find her place but also to remember what happened to her since coming to Midgar. A chance encounter with a SOLDIER First Class has her starting to piece together her past and rebuild her future. But from what she remembers, does she want to go back to the life she lived before?This is non-canon compliant and an alternative universe where Tifa doesn't recall anything of her old life from Nibelheim, nor does she remember the events of Nibelheim.
Relationships: Tifa Lockhart & Cloud Strife, Zack Fair/Aerith Gainsborough
Comments: 24
Kudos: 31





	1. Night Life

It was mass pandemonium inside the dressing room at the Honeybee Inn. Another night of entertaining the crowds who come to see them perform and to make a living. There were numerous girls in the back trying to put on their final touches of make-up and adjusting their costumes. 

Someone spritzed some rose scented perfume that was almost too sickeningly sweet. There was slight panic as some girls tried to find matching shoes, only to freak out over a mismatched pair. There were costumes hanging on the door handles and stockings that were running. 

This was how it normally was at the Honeybee Inn. This was the life of someone who needed to make a living and do whatever they can to support themselves. Then, there was Tifa Lockhart. 

The 20-year-old sat in front of the mirror, preparing herself for the performance with her fellow Honeybee Inn dancers. She adjusted her leotard with an inflatable stinger attached to the small of her back, and her bowtie secured around her neck. 

She sighed as she donned the pair of antennae that bounced with each movement. Tifa wasn’t a fan of the outfit, but things could be worse. It could always be worse, she thought. 

“Here, you need more lipstick,” a fellow Honeybee girl said, handing over a tube to Tifa who applied some of the rouge onto her pink lips. Honestly, Tifa wasn’t a fan of glamming herself, but it was required by the venue to always wear plenty of makeup so the lights could pick them up from stage. 

“Thanks.”

“Remember what Andrea Rhodea says,” another Honeybee girl with short red hair said in a near whisper to Tifa. “Beauty is the expression of the heart, where the rules of gender don’t apply.”

Tifa nodded as she brushed out her long hair before adding the last swipe of mascara over her doe-like eyelashes. Her garnet eyes sparkled as she blended out her dark eyeshadow for more smokiness. There was a sudden knock on the door and in came Andrea Rhodea, the owner and principal dancer of the Honeybee Inn. 

“Show time my dears,” he said, clapping his hands together. He then nodded to Tifa. “I know you’re new, but forget about your nerves and dance your hardest out there tonight.”

“Right…”

Tifa sighed and slowly gathered herself as she followed the other Honeybees out the door. She felt the inflatable stinger swing side to side uncomfortably, making the girl wonder how the other dancers managed to move around with ease and not worry about crashing into one another. 

The bright gold curtains swayed Tifa took her place on the stage and waited for the music to kick in as she felt herself slowly succumb to a cold sweat. She only performed a handful of times since arriving in the Wall Market a few weeks ago, and yet, she still got nervous whenever she was about to entertain strangers. 

Suddenly, the lights turned on and Tifa immediately swayed her hips to the beat, perfectly in-sync with the other dancers. Just like she practiced multiple times before. 

There were flashing lights from the multiple bright neon signs and glitter flying all over the place. There were times when Tifa twirled around her dance partner who bowed in unison with the other male Honeybees. It was dizzying and electrifying. However, it was the waxed stage that made Tifa almost miss a turn, though she quickly corrected herself and continued to dance perfectly. 

The glitter confetti and the lights blinded Tifa as she scanned the audience. That was when she locked eyes with several men sitting at one of the front tables. She recognized them almost immediately. They wore the signature insignia belonging to the infamous Don Corneo, the crime mob boss of Wall Market.

It was clear that they were wanting to “recruit” new dancers to perform privately for the man, and Tifa was always trying to remain inconspicuous while dancing in a group onstage. She never wanted to be selected for Corneo. She heard the stories, and that was the  _ last  _ thing she wanted. 

_ Don’t mess up, don’t draw attention to yourself _ , Tifa thought worriedly as she continued to swing her arms above her head and performed a series of steps that depicted sexiness. She swooped her leg around her dance partners as he lifted her into a breathtaking twirl. 

_ Don’t throw up, don’t throw up.  _

Tifa felt the ground with her dance shoes and immediately felt a sigh of relief escape her mouth. Just then, Andrea Rhodea took center stage and performed his own solo that brought the crowds to their feet. Tifa couldn’t help but admire him for his flamboyance and keen sense of confidence that made her wish was hers. 

_ How does he move like that without worrying about messing up?  _ Tifa thought to herself. She got back into formation with the other back-up dancers and zoomed around the stage in cadence with the rest of her Honeybees. Just as Andrea was about to finish with his final pose, Tifa quickly took her final steps and finished with a flourish, just as they had practiced the choreography numerous times before. 

On the last resounding note, the crowds went wild at their tables. Tifa tried to control her heavy breathing as she took a bow with the rest of the dancers before they hurried off the stage. Andrea stayed behind to perform an encore and Tifa gratefully ducked away to get herself comfortable. 

Inside the dressing room, Tifa took off her uniform and stared at herself in the mirror. There was an ugly long scar that was cut across her chest. Funny thing was, the woman never knew where it came from. But every time Tifa looked at it, there’d be a feeling of anxiety and terror that would spring up inside. 

“That’s a gnarly cut you’ve got there,” a woman’s voice interrupted Tifa’s thoughts. She turned and saw that one of her fellow dancers was packing it up. Her long auburn hair tied up into a ponytail. “Must’ve been a pretty bad fight

“I wouldn’t know,” Tifa said with a shrug. “I’ve always had this scar. I don’t know where it came from.”

Just then, Andrea came into the dressing room. Tifa couldn’t help but notice that he seemed troubled, though Tifa never really understood why a good man like him would get involved with the likes of Don Corneo. He was known as one of the Trio. The three major influences who scout out nightly “brides” for the crime boss. 

It bothered Tifa that someone like Andrea would continue working for Corneo, but she wasn’t in any place to judge. She herself would be in a tough spot if it weren’t for the Honeybee Inn. 

Andrea silently motioned to a girl with pink hair to follow him. Wordlessly, she started packing up her things. The other dancers surrounded her, congratulating her for being summoned to be taken to Don Corneo’s Mansion to be his bride. Usually though, that meant they were never going to see her again. 

That’s how it usually went. 

Tifa packed up her things and headed out of the Honeybee Inn. Ever since she arrived in Wall Market, she never was able to find a permanent place to live that was safe and affordable. Some would scoff at her for coming with nothing, but that was literally the truth. 

The woman didn’t have any idea on how she ended up in Midgar. She didn’t know anyone, nor did she remember her past. From what some of the Honeybee girls told her, she was found unconscious on the front steps of the Honeybee Inn a few weeks back, and upon seeing her beauty, Andrea took her in and made her a Honeybee dancer. 

However, not a lot of the other dancers were all too kind to her, as they were envious of how she looked. They’d constantly try to ruin her dance steps and would exclude Tifa from their conversations and practices. Tifa tried not to let it get to her, but there were nights when she wished there was a place further away she could fly away and escape reality. 

Despite it being late at night, Wall Market was a district that never sleeps. There were many people out and about, drinking at the bars and eating street food that smelled heavenly. There were women dressed in skimpy skirts and glittering heels while the men stumbled about in a drunken stupor. 

Tifa never really liked it here. But, it was the only place she could find pertaining to a job. With no money, no savings and only with the clothes on her back, Tifa worried about trying to find a place to live without being exposed nightly to the prying eyes of those living each day of fantasy and liquor. 

“Hey sexy,” a man called out to her in slurred speech. Tifa could smell the alcohol from his breath, reeking so much so that her eyes started watering. She avoided confronting him and kept walking, trying to ignore the stares from other drunken bastards trying to make moves on her. 

It was then when Tifa’s stomach started gurgling, and made her realize that she hadn’t eaten anything. First things first, Tifa thought, was to get herself something to eat. With whatever little money she had, she decided to see if there was anything in the vending machines that could suffice the rumbling in her stomach. From the corner of her eye, Tifa spotted a vending machine leaned up against the Weapon Shop. 

“Bingo,” she muttered to herself. Tifa walked over to the machine and withdrew several coins from her leather pouch and inserted them into the slot. She examined her options and then punched in the coinciding code to receive her supper for the evening. 

_ Clank.  _

Tifa let out a frustrated sigh before pounding several times on the vending machine so that the food could come out. However, this only resulted in the lights to blink repeatedly and the manager of the building to come out in a huff with a katana attached to his hip. 

“Hey! What the hell do you think you’re doin’?” The manager scowled furiously. “What do you think you’re doin’ wrecking one of my machines? I can have you arrested for tampering and vandalizing my property ya know.”

“I’m sorry!” Tifa said awkwardly. “But your machine—”

The manager furiously pounded against the vending machine and sighed. “That’s the second time this week that this piece of shit broke down.” He turned to Tifa, and eyed her with a gaze that made her skin crawl. “Damn it!” The manager unsheathed his sword before starting to attack the machine with random blows, slicing the plastic covering of the machine. 

Suddenly, Tifa gripped her forehead in pain and her heart began to pound heavily against her chest, threatening to explode from the rapid heartbeat. 

_ There were people running and screaming. Blood flowed in streams down the dirt paths and houses were getting burned to the ground. Fires threatened to smolder everything in its incendiary grasp. Never before had Tifa seen such a sight. It almost felt like a nightmare that was playing itself out.  _

_ Bodies were strewn all over the ground, carelessly discarded like animal bones. Tifa felt herself grow sick at the sight, feeling the smoke grabbing her lungs and trying to strangle the life out of her. She didn’t know what to do, but to run. She needed to get away from there. _

_ Then there were flashes of steel slicing through her, almost causing her to bleed out. Her precious blood blossomed like red flowers, and they showed no signs of stopping. She felt the blood gurgling in her throat, cutting off air and soon, she was drowning in an endless sea of red. _

“Are you OK?”   
  


Tifa opened her eyes, and through the blurriness, she could make out the faint outline of a man looking down at her. His strangely beautiful blue eyes glowed with concern as the woman tried to sit herself upright. Her head was pounding from having hit it against the stone street pavers. 

“Ugh...I think so,” Tifa said, groaning from the pain. “I don’t know what happened.” She looked around her, and found that there were several people staring at her curiously, though the expressions on their faces made her blush in embarrassment. “I think I’m alright.”

“Here.”

The man offered her his gloved hand, and Tifa hesitated for a moment. He had blonde messy spikes that resembled chocobo feathers, and his build was slim but toned. Despite his cold exterior, there seemed to be a warmth that resonated from within that seemed familiar. 

Tifa normally didn’t reach out for help, but something prompted her to take the man’s hand and pull herself up onto her feet. She brushed off the dirt that gathered on her jeans and sweater. She groaned at the ripped holes in her pants that were caused from the fall. 

“Just great,” Tifa said through gritted teeth. She continued brushing her clothes off and examining herself for any additional injuries. When satisfied she turned her attention back to the man standing in front of her. 

From initial impressions, the man seemed young, possibly around her age. His blonde hair resembled a Chocobo with its gentle spikes and tufts. His build seemed slender but toned. However, it was the strange glow of his blue eyes that caught Tifa off-guard. 

_ There’s something about his eyes that seem so familiar to me _ , Tifa thought silently.  _ It’s like...I feel like he’s someone I want to know, and already know, but I’ve never met him before.  _

“You’re staring.”

Tifa found herself in an embarrassing situation. She was staring so intensely at the man that he appeared to be transfixed by her focus. This made the woman blush and rub the back of her neck apologetically. 

“Sorry,” she laughed nervously. It was then that Tifa noticed the large weapon that was hanging off the man’s back. A massive blade that almost seemed humorously similar to a kitchen knife.“Yikes,” Tifa said, eyeing the huge sword on the man’s back. “How exactly does that thing stay in place?”

The man seemed bewildered and looked at what Tifa was examining and smirked. “Really...really strong magnets.”

“Well, I’m gonna head…” Tifa’s voice trailed off. She sighed. There was no place for her to go. Ever since she was released from the hospital a few weeks ago, Tifa had been wandering around the slums of Midgar searching for a place to call home. 

“You don’t have a place to live?” The man asked in a surprised tone. “I thought...well, the Honeybee Inn pays their dancers really well.” He blushed slightly at this. Tifa flushed red. Dancers were often pulling double shifts in entertaining the crowds, but there was also a dark side to the club. 

In order to pay off the debt it took to open the venue that Don Corneo invested into during the early days of Wall Market, the management would often sell the bodies of their dancers for more  _ intimate  _ performances. Tifa tried hard not to fall into that trap, but she knew it’d be a matter of time before she’d grow desperate for money and get herself out of the slums. 

So, she made sure to make herself more appealing for the main stage performances instead. She trained almost every waking minute of the day to keep herself healthy and strong. Tifa hated thinking about it, but she knew that if she didn’t perform perfectly each night, then it’d be a one-way ticket to Corneo Mansion and there were plenty of horror stories about what happened to the girls that failed to bring in the dough. 

“I’m still new to the place,” Tifa answered truthfully, though she attempted to hide her nerves from the man who eyed her suspiciously. “So, I’m not making as much as the other girls and guys who have been around for much longer.”

“I see.” The man frowned slightly before shaking his head. “Anyway, it’s not really a good idea to be walking yourself home in the middle of the night. Especially around the Wall Market. If you want, I can walk you wherever you need.”

“Oh, you don’t need to do that,” Tifa protested, though secretly she was pleased that the man offered his protection from some of the drunkards who were stumbling about trying to grope anyone in a skirt. “But, I wouldn’t be opposed.”

She then looked awkwardly down at her shoes. “I just don’t know where to go. Everything’s out of my price range right now.”

The stranger paused for a moment, and Tifa noted the thoughtfulness that registered onto his face before he turned around toward the path that led out of Wall Market on the south side. 

“I have a place where you can stay for the time being,” the man motioned for her to follow him. “It’s a bit of a walk, but it’s a safe spot and no one’s gonna bother you there.”

“Really?”

“Really.” The stranger then gave her a slight nod. “C’mon.”

“I’m all for it,” Tifa said cheerfully. “Lead the way.”

After about 15 minutes of walking through the junkyard of random scrap metal and rusted pipes, the two entered through the crumbling hole that led into the Sector 5 Slums. Tifa looked around her, examining her location. Though she never thought to explore the other sectors, there was something about this place that felt familiar. 

There was something about this guy too that Tifa couldn’t quite place. Though never having met him before, she was hoping that there was something that could prompt her to remember if she had encountered him in the streets of Midgar perhaps as a passerby. 

After a few minutes of glancing back at her, the man seemed annoyed by Tifa’s constant staring. It was then he finally broke the silence. “What is it?”

“You know, I feel like I’ve met you somewhere before,” Tifa said curiously to the man, who seemed to grow rigid at her mentioning. “ _ Have  _ we met before? I know it sounds kind of crazy, but I feel like I’ve known you my entire life—”

“We never met,” he replied bluntly. Just when Tifa was about to probe further, the man seemed to be pretty adamant about keeping some things to himself, causing Tifa to bite her tongue as they continued to walk together. “I’ve never seen you before.”

“Sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to be so forward.”

“It’s OK,” he shrugged. “Well, you should be safe here. I have a friend who tends to this place a lot.”

Tifa looked at where he was referring to and found that they were standing outside a crumbling church. A sign that hung on the front door was faded and damaged, though she could faintly read “Sector 5 Church.”

“You brought me to a church?” Tifa questioned. The man nodded and pulled open the door that led inside. While Tifa stepped within the sanctuary, she saw that the place was in disarray from having gone long periods of time without being used for services. 

There were broken stained glass windows, the wooden pews were scattered lopsidedly in random positions and the aisle had a tattered runner rug that looked dusty. Tifa looked up into the ceiling and saw that there were rotten pieces of wooden boards and beams that exposed holes. 

However, it was the sight of yellow flowers and a random patch of green in the broken floorboards that made Tifa stop in place. Her expression must’ve caused the man to be taken aback and look worried for a moment. 

“What is it?”

“Flowers…” Tifa said quietly. She knelt down onto the ground and touched the petals of the flowers gently. “They say you can’t grow anything around here. I never saw a real flower before, and yet...there’s so many of them growing here.” She smiled. “It’s beautiful.”

The man nodded. “My friend grows them. She has quite the green thumb.”

“I bet.” Tifa looked around. “But, is she going to be OK with me crashing here a while?”

“She’s always willing to help others,” he replied. “I’ll have her check in on you tomorrow morning.”

“Um...thanks.”

The man nodded and proceeded down the aisle to leave the building. Though, something clicked with Tifa as she ran after him, stopping in the middle of the room. 

“H-hey!” Tifa shouted after her savior. “Will I see you again?”

Though he didn’t stop, it was clear that he seemed to be toying with the idea. “I don’t know, maybe,” he said quietly. The man kept walking away, though Tifa was hoping to have a friendly face to recognize.

“Can I at least get your name?” Tifa called out to him. This caused him to stop briefly, though the dancer seemed to be hopeful that would at least get the man to stay a little bit longer. “My name’s Tifa. Tifa Lockhart.”

There was a long pause, and Tifa was afraid that she may have offended him further from his lack of a response and reaction. Just as she was about to turn away, she heard him. 

“Cloud Strife.”


	2. Instinct

As Cloud slowly closed the door behind him, he set off on his way to his apartment back in the Sector 7 Slums. There was something familiar about Tifa that he couldn’t quite put a finger on, but it was almost instinctive. He was overwhelmed with the feeling of being protective towards the woman, yet he never met her before. 

When Tifa pointed out that she felt something connected to him, he himself felt it too. Yet, he didn’t know what it was. It was almost like they had some shared past that he couldn’t quite explain. He wouldn’t know, though and quite frankly, with the line of work he was a part of, he didn’t think getting involved with someone would be a good idea. 

Suddenly, Cloud felt something vibrate in his pocket. He quickly pulled out his cell phone and found that Shinra was calling him. The life of a SOLDIER First Class meant that he wouldn’t be able to hold down many roots anywhere. Perhaps that’s why he would swear off being committed to anyone or anything. 

Rolling his eyes, he answered. “Strife.”

_ “Cloud, you’re late for your check-in.” _ A voice rang out through the receiver. 

“Aren’t I always?” The blonde answered back shortly. “What is it, Tseng?”

_ “We have an assignment for you back at headquarters first thing Monday.” There was a pause. “Why haven’t you checked in after taking off duty?” _

“I got a little distracted,” Cloud said truthfully. “Just had some last minute things that came up.”

_ “Well, don’t do it again,” _ Tseng shot at him. “ _ You know with people going AWOL, it’s the last thing we need is to lose another one of our prized recruits.” _

There was a long pause. 

“Did you find him?” Cloud asked quietly. “Any word?”

_ “No,” _ Tseng replied.  _ “Anyone hiding him will be subjected to criminal prosecution for treason.” _

“I’ll keep that in mind.” 

Cloud hung up and kept on his way. Lately, SOLDIER candidates have been disappearing left and right. The official word that Shinra put out was that many of them were struggling to make it through the program itself and were either physically or mentally unfit for the job. 

The SOLDIER First Class sighed and slowly walked through the slums. His mind was consumed with thoughts about what was happening behind the scenes at Shinra Electric Power Co. There were minor explosions at the various reactors by some rebel group called Avalanche, who claimed that the power being absorbed from the Lifestream was destroying the Planet. 

Did he believe that? Not really, though he couldn’t help but feel that there was some level of truth as there was barely any vegetation to be found within a several mile radius of the metropolitan that was Midgar. Things have been tense lately. Especially with the shift in rankings at SOLDIER. 

Cloud clenched his fists. He wasn’t supposed to be in SOLDIER First Class. The only reason he got bumped up to the rank was because of the disappearance of Zack Fair. There were rumors swirling that he abandoned the company to join the rebels in Wutai, or that he was dead.

Yet many more believed he deserted the program because of something he discovered. When they investigated his living quarters, they found plans and maps that connected him to a massacre that took place somewhere on another continent and that he was now an outlaw. 

Aerith had been a mess since Zack stopped answering her phone calls and texts. Though Cloud reassured her that Zack was just hard to get a hold of and still very much loved her, there was something wrong with the lack of response. There just had to be a reason why Zack deserted SOLDIER. He, the one who upheld the most of the ideals in the troop, suddenly vanishing wasn’t just some random occurrence. 

No, something had to have happened. He didn’t believe he was a murderer either. 

Cloud walked past several residents who were greeting each other a good night. He frowned slightly at the sight of a young couple kissing in full view without care of those who walked past them. There was a pang of loneliness he felt, but he knew what he gave up for the job. 

There were those who thought he and Aerith had something underlying there, and to be honest, he thought about it at times. However, he felt his loyalty to Zack was too strong to consider such a thing. Then, there was  _ her _ . That dancer who he found tonight at Wall Market. 

It was impossible that they may have met before. He never ran into her whenever he walked through Wall Market for an evening drink out with his friends. She must’ve been new, as he had been to the Honeybee Inn multiple times with his fellow soldiers and never saw her dance among the troupe. 

He didn’t want to admit it, but Cloud would have noticed her. From his first encounter of Tifa, he couldn’t help but notice her stunning ruby red eyes and sweet smile. Her long ribbons of dark hair that cascaded down her back into dolphin tail pony. She also looked strong and toned, as if she was an athlete. 

Also, her quiet but kind disposition caught him off-guard that was somewhat refreshing and warm. He never met her before, and yet he desired to protect her at all costs. Tifa seemed like the kind of girl who could handle herself, but he still wanted to make sure she had someone watching out for her. 

_ No one likes being the new kid,  _ Cloud thought to himself.  _ She seems lost. I know the feeling. I don’t know what brought me out here to Midgar really.  _

* * *

About 20 minutes passed and Cloud finally arrived in front of his apartment complex that read “Stargazer Heights.” His apartment was on the second floor in room 202. He sighed and climbed the stairs leading to the second floor. 

Just was about to unlock his apartment door, Cloud heard sudden movement and instinctively pulled out his sword and spun around to see the cold face of his leading officer standing in front of him. His mako-blue eyes devoid of any human feeling, and his long silver-hair moving slightly from the breeze. 

“Sephiroth,” Cloud said, sighing. “You scared the shit out of me.” He massaged his chest as his heart continued to race uncontrollably. He then withdrew his weapon and shouldered it onto his back. “What are you doing here?”

“Ever since Zack went AWOL, we had to keep tight surveillance on anyone else who might exhibit signs of deserting the company,” Sephiroth said coolly. “That includes every member of the Public Safety Division.”

“I’m aware,” Cloud muttered. “I’m guessing this means I’m being watched too?”

“Well, seeing as you and Zack were close, then what does that tell you?” The silver-haired man stared down at his black gloved hands and clenched them into a fist. “I’m wondering though, has Zack attempted to contact you at all during his absence?”

“If you don’t know, then what makes you think he’d have reached out to me?” Cloud said, slightly irritated. “I only got pushed up to SOLDIER First Class because he went AWOL. Otherwise, I’d just be another grunt slopping his way around Midgar making sure the kids don’t kick over the Mako storage containers.”

“Are you really still upset over that?” Sephiroth said, his eyes glinting. “I thought you’d be pleased about making the ranks at long last. You know how much you struggled to even pass the entrance physicals and exams? This is an honor to be considered for this spot.”

“Zack’s still out there,” Cloud said, shaking his head. “I know it. This spot isn’t mine. It’s his. At least...that’s how I feel anyway. And, I don’t think Shinra’s looking for him hard enough.”

“Believe me, they’re searching and you know what they do to traitors,” Sephiorth responded coldly. He then paused. “I take it something happened tonight since you arrived late for check-in?”

“What makes you say that?”

“I can tell,” Sephiroth said. “Something about the look in your eye that you’re struggling to remember something, but can’t understand why it means something to you.”

Cloud’s eyes furrowed together. There was even something in the way that Sephiroth speaks that makes the SOLDIER First Class question what the officer was trying to get at, but he decided to not push it further. 

“Look, it’s been a long night,” Cloud said quietly. “I just want to call it and get back on shift Monday. I’ll just check in properly next time. Fair enough?”

“Yeah.” Sephiorth nodded. He slowly turned away and proceeded to walk away from Cloud who was already halfway inside his apartment. Before closing the door, Sephiroth turned back to his blonde comrade. “Oh, and say hello to that dancer for me.”

Something felt off about this, but Cloud quickly closed the door behind him. He hated how Shinra monitors everything that he does, but even so, there was something ominous in the way Sephiroth talked to him about the dancer he ran into from before. 

_ “Does he know something that I don’t?”  _ Cloud thought. It was highly possible. Sephiroth has the many ins with the inner workings of Shinra that would make anyone’s skin crawl, so it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility that his leader knew something that he didn’t. 


	3. The Flower Girl

The next morning, Tifa was awakened by the bright sunlight streaming through the windows. It was then she realized that she was inside of the Sector 5 Church. She thought that everything that happened the night before was a dream, but it was clear that meeting Cloud was real. . 

“Hello!”

Tifa, startled by the sudden greeting, stumbled. She fell over and tried to sit herself upright as she saw a girl in a pink dress staring at her. 

“Oh! I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” the girl apologized. “Cloud mentioned that you were spending the night here in the church, and asked me to keep an eye on you.”

The woman was dressed in mostly a pink dress with a red leather jacket. Encircling her neck was a leather necklace with a gold lily charm in the center. She had startlingly beautiful emerald eyes with long light brown hair that was plaited into a ponytail and secured with a pink ribbon. 

Around Aerith’s wrists were multiple bangles of gold, silver and copper. Tifa’s eyes picked out engravings of flowers on them as they clanged together quietly as Aerith moved. There was something familiar about the woman, but Tifa couldn’t pick out what exactly that meant to her. 

“I’m Aerith,” the woman said. “Aerith Gainsborough.” She then looked around her and smiled. “It’s nice to meet you.”

She extended a hand outward to help Tifa up, which the dancer took graciously. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” She smoothed out the wrinkles of her dress and walked back toward the center of the church where the flower garden that sprung up beneath the floor. Aerith crouched down and started weeding through the greenery and pulling out the dry and dead leaves. 

“Are you a florist?” Tifa asked while watching Aerith. There was a motherly touch that the flower girl gave off as she continued working through the dirt. She even imagined the flowers bending their heads toward the woman as if they were wanting to feel her nurturing care. 

“Yep,” Aerith said, turning her attention to Tifa. “My mom and I live out in the Sector 5 Slums, and we have a whole bunch of flowers growing behind our house there.”

“I thought flowers couldn’t grow in Midgar,” Tifa stated. She then shook her head. “I never saw flowers before. Real ones anyway. I was surprised to see so many of these lilies growing here. It’s sort of a marvel.” Tifa noted the yellow blossoms that resembled bits of sunshine that poked cheerfully from the ground. 

Aerith nodded and smiled almost dreamily. “They grow for me. I don’t know why here, but I think it’s because this place is sacred.” With a bright flourish, Aerith stood up and twirled, letting her skirt balloon up and then flutter back down gently. “I love it here.”

Tifa couldn’t help but notice how ethereal Aerith seemed with her personality and beauty. She felt herself slowly letting down her guard and started relaxing herself around the flower girl. 

“So, you’ve met Cloud.”

The dancer shook her head. “Hm?”

“Cloud Strife, the guy with the huge sword on his back? Can’t miss him,” Aerith said cheekily. She crouched back down and started frowning at the sight of browned edges and picked them apart expertly. “He texted me last night and said to keep an eye over you since you didn’t have a place to go.”

Tifa flushed a bright red. “I-I’m sort of new to the area. I was released from the hospital a while ago and ended up in Wall Market.”

“Cloud’s certainly taken a liking to you, which is rare since he doesn’t usually get along with anyone.”

Tifa scoffed slightly and tried to keep the blushing to a minimum. “Oh you’re just making things up.”

“Not really, I don’t like lying,” Aerith said quietly. She then paused. “What were you doing at the hospital?”

“I don’t know,” Tifa shook her head. “There’s a lot I don’t remember. I woke up, found a big scar on my chest and wound up here.” The dancer leaned up against one of the stone pillars as she continued watching Aerith garden. “I wish I could tell you a better story than that, but that’s really all I know.”

“I see.”

Aerith smiled at Tifa. “Well, I’m glad we’re able to meet.”

“Likewise.”

Aerith stood back up and then crossed her arms. “Well, from what I’ve heard, you don’t have a home at the moment do you?”

Tifa shook her head. It was then the flower girl clapped her hands together.

“Well, I have an extra bedroom at my house,” Aerith said cheerfully. “My mom said that it’d be alright for you to come and stay with us while you work out your next steps.”

“Oh! That’s really sweet of you,” Tifa answered. “Are you sure? I mean...you just met me.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Aerith waved her off. “Besides, if Cloud is this protective over you then there must be something pretty special about you.”

“I just met him too,” Tifa said quietly. After hesitating for a moment, she turned to Aerith. “Hey...what do you know about Cloud?”

“What about him?”

“Just...I can’t help but feel like I know him from somewhere,” Tifa said. “Like, I met him before. There’s something really familiar about him, but I can’t put my finger on it.”

Aerith cocked her head to the side, and she started giggling. “Maybe you ran into him somewhere in Wall Market. He’s a pretty tough guy, but a total softie. It’s hard to meet good guys like him, especially since he’s a part of the SOLDIER program and all.”

Tifa gasped. The SOLDIER program was an elite group of warriors who Shinra enlisted to protect their government and their secrets. She heard about them all the time, but she hadn’t realized that Cloud could be one of them. 

“He’s a SOLDIER?”

“ _First Class_ ,” Aerith corrected, though she said it with some mocking tone. “I met him through my boyfriend at the time, Zack.”

There was a long pause, and there was something in Aerith’s voice that made Tifa question whether the flower girl was hiding something from the strange glint in her eyes, but when she didn’t say anything else, she decided to change the subject. 

“Oh! I thought you and Cloud were—”

“Woah there,” Aerith said, blushing pink. “Cloud and I are friends, but that’s about all I can take right now. Especially with…” Her voice trailed off, and Tifa wondered if that was really the true extent of how she felt about Cloud but decided not to press her any further. 

After all, Tifa thought, they just met. 

“Well, if you’d like, I can take you to my house,” Aerith said cheerfully. “I promise that it’s not that far away.”

“Alright,” Tifa nodded. “Lead on!”

Navigating through the ruined slums of Sector 5 made Tifa realize just how everything was segregated and impoverished. When she left the hospital up on the upper plate, she immediately realized how different life seemed to be for those underneath on the ground floor. 

“So Tifa, are you from Midgar originally?” 

“I’m...this is gonna sound crazy but I don’t remember,” Tifa said, shaking her head. “I-I just remember the hospital and that’s about it. They didn’t have any records for me.”

“I’m sorry if that’s a touchy subject,” Aerith said, shaking her head. “It must be pretty scary thinking that you’re all alone and you don’t have a single person in your corner. But good news is that you have me and Cloud!”

Tifa smiled at this and nodded. “You’re sweet. Thanks again for being so kind.”

“That’s just the way it should be, right?” Aerith kept walking with Tifa keeping up with her. “We all should be kinder to each other, but with the way the world is, we’re all just focused on our own lives that we forget about the neighbors who are also struggling to keep their heads above water.”

The two women continued walking through the slums, and every now and then a child would come running up to Aerith and give her a hug. Tifa was startled by the number of children who seemed to recognize the flower girl and how confident they were in approaching her as if she was their mother. 

“It’s like you know every single one of these kids,” Tifa said, amazed. “I’m impressed.”

Aerith smiled sadly. “These are kids who live at the Leaf House in the slums.”

“The Leaf House?”

“It’s an orphanage,” Aerith replied simply. “Their parents have either left them behind because of poverty, thinking they got a better chance at a new life, or they died. It’s pretty rough living here in the slums. Many of the adults are working at the Mako reactors or trying to figure out how to make things work under the plate. But, it’s been hard on the kids especially. No place to run around that’s safe without monsters coming in every now and then.”

Tifa nodded. “I see.”

They walked past several vendors who had the tv turned onto the news, and on the screen were multiple alerts for potential threats by Avalanche, an eco-terrorist group who were trying to destroy Shinra’s alleged crimes against the Planet for draining energy from the Lifestream. 

“How much do you know about Avalanche?” Aerith asked curiously. Tifa turned her gaze to the flower girl. “I mean, I know you don’t really remember much before the hospital, but what do you think about them?”

Tifa cocked her head slightly. “I hear about them on the news every now and then, but I don’t really know what to think. I’m sure that they feel justified in their anger if Shinra did something to them or their loved ones...it’s just…”

“What?”

“I just don’t believe in hurting innocent people to make a message clear,” Tifa said softly. “Especially those who have to play the game because that’s the only way to survive. They can’t risk it all because they need to support their families and keep food on the table and keep the lights on at night.”

Aerith nodded. “I see.”

Tifa looked at her new friend and sighed. “I don’t want innocent people to die. I believe holding people accountable, but...is this the only way?”

The two quietly continued their walk through Sector 5 Slums before Aerith clapped her hands together as they made their destination. 

“We’re here!” Aerith called out to Tifa, who then shook her thoughts away. She was greeted by the amazing sight of flower gardens growing, and a large stream of water flowing through the property like a river. It almost reminded Tifa of an oasis in the middle of a desert or wasteland.

“Oh wow!” Tifa’s eyes widened at the sight. “How is this even possible?”

“Anything’s possible,” Aerith said cheerfully. “We never thought this could happen, but somehow, it just did.”

“Well, I’m sure your green thumb had something to do with it,” Tifa teased, causing the flower girl to smile brightly. “It’s absolutely beautiful.”

“Thanks!” Aerith then motioned to Tifa to follow her inside the house that stood in front of the beautiful scenery. “My mom should be inside. I gave her a heads up already that I’m bringing a friend home with me.”

“I hope it’s not too much trouble,” Tifa said apologetically. “I don’t anticipate being here for a long time. Just enough to get my bearings and hopefully move into an apartment elsewhere.”

“No worries!” Aerith said, waving her hands. “Let’s just get you settled.”

The flower girl opened the front door, and Tifa followed her inside. The dancer’s eyes were greeted by the sight of numerous wicker baskets and buckets lined up against the walls, some filled to the brim with numerous blooms and greenery. It smelled like freshly dug earth, cinnamon and coffee. A cheerful fire was crackling in a fireplace surrounded in stone near the kitchen. 

“Mom!” Aerith called out. “Mom, I’m home!”

“Aerith?”

A woman wearing a gardening apron stepped into view. Tifa couldn’t help but notice that the woman who was Aerith’s mother didn’t really look like her. But, she chose not to make note of that observation. 

“Hello there, you must be Tifa,” the woman greeted her kindly. “My name’s Elmyra. I’m Aerith’s mother.”

“Nice to meet you,” Tifa responded politely. “You have a lovely home.”

“Thank you.”

Elmyra looked at Aerith who then smiled. “I see that Aerith still has the charm of bringing new friends home.”

“Mom,” Aerith said with an embarrassed smile.

“I’m sorry for the trouble,” Tifa said quickly. “I didn’t really have a place to go.”

“You’re more than welcome to stay,” Elmyra said. “There’s a spare bedroom upstairs, and we’re more than happy to host you as you get back on your feet.”

“I promise to help out in any way that I can,” Tifa said. “I can also help pay some rent if that’ll help ease some of the burden of taking on another house guest.”

“Don’t be silly,” Elmyra waved Tifa off. “You’re more than welcome here, and don’t even think about rent. You save every gil to get yourself a _safe_ apartment. I’m surprised you managed to get by in Wall Market, it’s not exactly the ideal place to live.”

“I’m gonna take Tifa upstairs,” Aerith said with a slight edge. “Talk to you later.”

Elmyra nodded and retreated back into the kitchen as the two women headed upstairs. Tifa couldn’t help but feel slightly judged by Elmyra by the way she phrased the Wall Market situation. 

“Your mom’s really nice,” Tifa said quietly as she followed Aerith. “I’m guessing...she knows what I do right now?”

“Yeah,” Aerith said. “But don’t worry, Mom’s just kind of old-fashioned. I don’t see anything wrong with you dancing at the Honeybee Inn, and neither does Cloud.”

Then Aerith paused at the end of the hallway. “Here’s your room. Make yourself comfortable. The bathroom is right across the other side of the hall if you need to freshen up. There should be some towels you can use in the linen closet near the tub.”

“Thanks, Aerith.”

“Dinner should be ready in a bit, so I’ll leave you to get settled,” the flower girl smiled and walked off into an adjacent room that Tifa presumed was her own bedroom. 

Inside the guest room, Tifa set her bag down on the ground next to the bed and noted the floral bedspread that looked especially cozy and comfortable. She slowly sat herself down and examined her surroundings. There was a lot she didn’t remember, and there was so much more she wished she could recall from the events leading to Midgar, but her head hurt every time she thought about it. 

Tifa unpacked her bag and took out the few belongings she had out. She sighed, there weren’t a lot of options to change aside from her gym clothes and some undergarments that were mostly starting to fray. Soon, she’d need to go shopping, but she wasn’t exactly sure where to go for that...

There was a gentle knock at the door, and Aerith quietly took a step inside. 

“How are you doing?” 

“I’m alright,” Tifa said nodding. “Thank you for doing this. I’m a bit embarrassed that a perfect stranger has to put me up though. I promise I’ll be finding a permanent home soon.”

“Take your time! Don’t worry,” Aerith said reassuringly. “I want to make sure that you’re safe. The slums aren’t safe, especially for women. We have to stick together!” The flower girl winked at Tifa who started laughing softly. 

“Hey...I’m wondering, how do you know that I work at the Honeybee Inn?”

“Cloud told me,” Aerith said, which caused Tifa to purse her lips. “Well...he does go to the Honeybee Inn every now and then with his SOLDIER buddies. Zack used to go for the drinks.” The flower girl seemed downcast at the mentioning of Zack’s name, which caused some confusion for Tifa. 

Tifa felt an annoyance bubble beneath the surface. So Cloud lied to her about never seeing her before. Now that she thought about it, he seemed to know that she was a Honeybee dancer without her ever bringing it up last night. 

“So, he’s one of the customers then.” Tifa looked down, embarrassed. “Does he...look for some girls to get with at the inn? Is that why he goes?”

Aerith shook her head. “It’s really none of my business what he does with his personal time. But, I know what you’re thinking. Cloud’s not good at talking to women in general, however, he does care about the people he takes a liking to and I can tell that he wanted to help you out.”

“Why though?” Tifa asked, her eyebrows furrowing. “It’s not like he really knows me or anything.”

“Cloud wants to help people and save them whenever they’re in trouble,” Aerith said with a giggle. Upon the word ‘save’ Tifa started getting headaches. She felt the room spinning and gripped the bedspread to steady herself from the disorienting feeling. 

“Are you OK? Tifa?” Aerith quickly ushered herself over to Tifa and placed a hand over her forehead. “Oh Tifa! Your head is burning.” She helped Tifa lay down before running downstairs. “I’ll be right back,” she called out over her shoulder. 

Tifa tried to breathe deep, but the headache got worse. She tried to remember what exactly that word meant to her. There were brief flashes of mountains and a village. However, they were places she never visited before in her life. Or at least, not that she remembered. 

“I wish I remembered what happened to me before Midgar,” Tifa said aloud. She gripped her forehead as the pain slowly dissipated. As she started gaining back control, Aerith returned with a cold compress and some medicine. 

“Here,” Aerith said anxiously, handing Tifa the compress. “Put this over your eyes. I brought some Tranquilizers too for the nausea and the disorientation. It might help a bit, but a good rest will cure anything.”

“Thanks.” 

Tifa covered her eyes with the compress and felt the cold sensation easing some of the burden and pressure in her forehead. “I don’t know why, but every now and then I get these really bad migraines.”

“Sometimes, you just need a good rest and that’ll cure anything,” Aerith said with a slight nod. “I heard that’s something that folks down here in the slums believe. Lessons from the ground floor as we like to call them.”

Suddenly, Tifa heard something ring and Aerith pulled out a blush pink cellphone from one of the pockets on her dress. “Hello? Hey! Yep, she’s right here...you seriously don’t need to worry about a thing.”

Tifa felt confused, but then Aerith turned her green eyes toward her and started laughing in a mocking tone. “You know you could have a little more faith in me. Yeah, yeah. SOLDIER this and that. Is that the only thing you guys can do with that is to make yourselves more important than you think you are?”

That was when Tifa knew that Aerith was talking to Cloud on the other line. 

“Alright, well if you’re so concerned about her then why don’t you come and see her for yourself?” Aerith suggested rather cheekily. Tifa started blushing a faint pink. “Oh? Oh why are you so quiet all of the sudden? I’m sure our guest here would love to see her knight in shining armor.”

Tifa turned around and tried to hide her blush. _What exactly was Aerith planning?_

“Ah, well she’s free tomorrow if you wanna help her find an apartment!”

There was a long pause. “Alright, well, just know that you better be a proper gentleman and not chase off every girl who might be interested in you. OK? Great. Talk to you soon.”

Aerith hung up the phone. Tifa slowly turned on her side and saw the flower girl giggling profusely. “What was that about? What are you planning?”

“Well, you’re free tomorrow? No dancing engagements at the Honeybee Inn...right?”

“Right…”

“Cloud _really_ wants to help you find a new place to live” Aerith said in an almost sing-song voice, causing Tifa to blush. “I wasn’t kidding when I said he took a liking to you.”

“Oh.” Tifa started blushing a deep red. “I-I just met him.”

“Well, maybe not so much about a date but think of it as making a new friend!” Aerith said. “Just getting to know someone is the first step in making and rebuilding a life for yourself.”

“I suppose.” Tifa then sighed. “You’re really hard to talk out of doing things, aren’t you?”

“I’ve been told that before,” Aerith said in mock outrage. “But, I’m stubborn. That should count for something, right?”

“Right.”

Tifa nodded, though felt herself retreating into her shell. She had never been on a date before, nor did she remember ever being interested in a guy. Cloud seemed...different to her, and that was something she wasn’t sure was a good thing or not. 

“OK, well I’m just gonna see this as more of getting to know him than a date.”

“That’s the spirit!” Aerith then motioned to the door. “We’re having dinner soon if you’re feeling better.”

Tifa sighed. This was going to be interesting. 

  
  



	4. Apartment Hunting

Cloud opened his eyes as he slowly started waking up to the sounds of his alarm clock going off in the morning. He groaned before silencing it. The man sat himself upright, yawning and rustling through his already messy blonde nest of spikes. 

“I hate the mornings,” Cloud mumbled before slowly getting himself out of bed. “Good thing I’m not working today.” He pulled on his SOLDIER uniform and brushed his teeth before gargling some water to rinse and spit. It was funny to think that he hated the taste of slum water, but ever since folks were going around selling water filters, it practically eliminated the rotten egg smell that usually left a bad aftertaste. 

“I guess those things were actually good for something,” Cloud said aloud. He took a look down at his phone to see that it was getting close to when he said he’d be meeting Tifa at the entrance of the slums so that he could show her the new apartment unit that was open for rental. For some reason, he felt nervous and anxious about seeing her again. Though, he wondered slightly if she thought the same. 

For the last several nights, Cloud had nightmares that involved this girl. Though, the meaning of these dreams he couldn’t really figure out. There was a fire. There were numerous people screaming and falling down in rivers of flowing blood. There was a cold pain as if metal was stabbing through him. 

It’s not like Cloud never had nightmares, but ever since he even helped that girl up, those nightmares became ghosts and continued haunting his dreams almost every night since then. It was as if she triggered something within him that perhaps laid dormant for all this time. 

“But that’s just...stupid right?” Cloud asked himself. He took a long hard look at his reflection before splashing some cold water onto his face. “It’s all in my head.”

Without much thinking, he turned around and grabbed his sword and attached it to his back before heading out the apartment door into the bright sunlight. He was greeted by the sight of the massive plate suspended above the slums and the people walking around as they got ready for the day. 

“Monsters! Check out the new numbers right here!” A caller cried out. Vendors were getting their shops ready for customers and children were already running about trying to chase each other up and down the street. Some of the people were headed towards the train station so that they could catch the cars up topside. 

Cloud slowly descended down the stairs before heading towards the general direction where he’d be meeting up with Tifa. After several minutes, he stood by a lamppost and checked his phone. To his dismay, Tseng texted him and asked him to see if he’d be willing to come by headquarters later in the day. 

_ Where are you? _

Cloud quickly responded:  _ Not on the clock.  _

_ We need to talk. There’s something you need to know.  _

The SOLDIER sighed before tucking his phone away, but not before responding back with trying to keep Tseng from guilt-tripping him into coming in for another assignment when he was promised to take the weekend for himself. 

Besides, he had a new assignment and it had nothing to do with Shinra for once. 

“Hey!”

Cloud turned and saw that Tifa was running towards him. “Oh, hey.”

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” the girl said, breathing slightly. “I got lost on my way over here. It’s quite a ways away from where I thought it was going to be.”

Cloud nodded. “Well, I thought you might be interested to know that there’s a place at Stargazer Heights that opened up just recently that you might like. The landlady...well, she doesn’t take a liking to me, but when I told her about you she seemed more than willing to see if you might be a good fit.”

“Really? Well, as long as rent’s affordable,” Tifa said hopefully. “But, I’m willing to give it a shot.”

“OK, well let’s get going then.”

The two started heading down the way, passing by several shops and people wandering the dirt paths. Cloud looked ahead, navigating the streets when he found that Tifa was looking above at the huge plate looming over the slums, casting a slight shadow on the people who seemed unbothered by this. 

“Does it scare you at all about the supports ever breaking down?” Tifa asked, causing Cloud to look at her confused. “It’s just being held above the slums with some pieces of metal. It’s scary to think about.”

“No, I don’t think Shinra would ever let that happen,” Cloud said with a nod. “Besides, I don’t think Avalanche would ever think about resorting to that kind of terrorism.”

“I see,” Tifa said. She paused. “Do you ever have to fight them? Avalanche, I mean.”

“A few times, but mostly, I don’t see the point,” Cloud said, shrugging it off. “They’re more of a nuisance than an actual threat. If they blew up the reactors, that’s one thing, but attempting to destroy the plate would be way beyond their capabilities. Anyway, Heiddeger is keeping close tabs on them.”

“Who?”

“He’s the head of the Public Safety Division at Shinra,” Cloud replied casually. “He’s been watching things pretty closely and nothing really gets by him...even though he has the stupidest laugh I’ve ever had the misfortune to hear.”

“Oh...he sounds interesting,” Tifa said. She looked at Cloud and smiled. “Do you like being in SOLDIER?”

“It’s alright,” Cloud said, shrugging again. “It keeps food on the table at least.”

Tifa sighed. 

“What is it?”

The girl studied him closely. “It must be nice, to know exactly what you wanted to be and feel like you found your calling in life.”

Cloud felt taken aback by her observations. “What do you mean? Isn’t the Honeybee Inn where you wanted to be?”

Tifa laughed ruefully. “If you mean dancing and trying to avoid men (sometimes women) from trying to get into bed with you that night? Sure. That’s exactly my dream.”

Cloud awkwardly looked down. It seemed interesting that this perfect stranger was baring her soul to him. Yet, he didn’t mind it so much. Rather, he could feel himself being slowly empathetic to her feelings. 

“Was being in SOLDIER always your dream?” Tifa asked, keeping pace with Cloud as they continued walking through the slums. “It seems like a lot of folks want to become a SOLDIER. Heard about it through the grapevine in between shows when they’d come by and see us.”

“It was,” Cloud said. “But, lately, I don’t know…”

“What is it?”

“I don’t feel like I have the same motivations of being there like I did a long time ago.” Cloud clenched his fists. “With everything happening with the program, and people going AWOL, it’s hard to keep your morale up and wonder if what you’re doing is worth it.”

Tifa looked thoughtful for a moment before keeping her gaze ahead. “Sounds like...you lost your purpose.”

“Huh?”

“I don’t mean to be forward,” Tifa said quickly, almost apologetically. “But, when you lose your purpose, then everything seems to be pointless. Like, you don’t know if what you’re doing matters anymore. I feel that way about the Honeybee Inn. I thought being a dancer would be a natural fit, but I don’t aspire to become the best there. It feels...empty.”

Cloud nodded. Interestingly, this girl seemed to tap into his feelings and give them words that he felt was missing for a while. Despite himself, he was growing impressed with how easy it was to talk to her and to give meaning to the feelings that were relentlessly attacking him.

“Are we almost there?” Tifa asked suddenly. “Seems like we’ve been walking for a while.”

“Yeah. Just right over there.” Cloud motioned with his head. “Mind you though...the landlady can be a hardass sometimes. Might wanna just keep to yourself and let me do the talking.”

“OK.”

Slowly, the two approached the apartment complex where a tarnished metal sign that read “Stargazer Heights” stood somewhat lopsided out front. Near the first floor landing, an elderly woman with bushy grey hair pulled up into a wild top knot stood outside, examining the two of them approaching her earnestly. 

“Someone’s back awfully early,” the landlady said. “You’ve been coming and going a lot lately, young man.”

“Sorry about that,” Cloud replied, though tensely. “Job calls for a lot of moving around.”

“Shinra, what good are they for?” Marle almost spat out. “Aside from polluting our community and never stepping in to help the little guy, they’re nothing but a bunch of greedy saps wanting to drain you and the Planet for all they’re worth.”

Cloud kept his calm and noticed that the woman seemed to take an interest in Tifa, who stood off to the side shyly. 

“I’m Marle,” the old woman said. She eyed Tifa up and down. “You’re a beauty, where did this guy find you?”

“This is Tifa,” Cloud said with a nod. “She’s a new friend of mine and I told her about the empty unit upstairs that might work for her. She’s kind of strapped for cash and I don’t think it’s a good idea for her to be wandering around Wall Market.”

Marle looked at Tifa and sighed. “You’re a Honeybee...aren’t you?”

“Yeah,” Tifa said, looking confused. “I am. There’s nothing wrong with dancing for a living.”

“I know, dear,” the woman said. “To be honest, I used to be a Honeybee dancer too.”

“What? No way!” Tifa said, looking shocked. “Then...why aren’t you happy about me being there?”

“It’s a shark tank in there,” Marle said. She breathed deeply. “They take in new girls who they think are attractive enough, and then toss out the ones that are getting past their prime. Or, if you start questioning everything on how things operate in Wall Market, they’ll be sure to snuff you out.”

Tifa gulped, and Cloud turned away. This wasn’t exactly what he expected from their first interactions with the landlady, let alone scaring the new girl. 

“Well, Room 201 is right upstairs,” Marle said, pointing up the flight of metal steps leading up to the second floor. “This guy with the sword lives right next door to you, so I have a feeling that you’ll be feeling quite safe with him as your neighbor.”

Tifa’s eyes widened, and Cloud started blushing fiercely. “You didn’t need to tell her that.”

“What? You didn’t happen to mention that she’d be your neighbor if she decides to live here? Talk about slow to the punch,” Marle said rolling her eyes. “Anyways my dear, this guy told me about your situation and I have to say that working at the Honeybee Inn is no place for you to be making so little. No, no. I have some connections that can help you get your savings built up a little faster.”

“Oh!....That’s nice.” Tifa seemed confused, but Cloud quickly interrupted. 

“I’ll take it from here, Marle. Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it,” the landlady said. She then looked approvingly at Tifa. “You know, you two are standing together like that...I don’t know why but it feels natural. It looks good.”

Cloud coughed and turned away to keep his face from being seen by Tifa. He  _ wasn’t  _ expecting Marle to suddenly try to play wingwoman all of a sudden. This was probably the last thing he needed. 

Tifa blushed and stammered. “Um...you said Room 201 is upstairs?”

“Right, Cloud? Take the girl upstairs and show her around like a good neighbor.” Marle motioned for him to come closer. He approached her and held out his hand, where Marle placed a small key chain into his palm. “Hurry along now and get things settled.”

“I’ll do that.” Cloud nodded. “Thanks.”

“Off you go, then.”

“Nice meeting you!” Tifa said, waving to Marle before returning a warm smile that prompted a rare smile from Marle. Cloud was impressed that someone like the landlady would be taking a liking to a complete stranger. Then again, Tifa had been full of surprises since he met her. 

Cloud motioned to Tifa to follow him. He pulled out a key and handed it to her. It read “201” on the keychain that Tifa used to open the locked door. 

“It’s nothing fancy,” Cloud said, noting the bare box of a room. There was nothing in there but a connected bathroom. “But, I thought this might work for you until you figure out a plan and get things put together. Aerith, as you could tell, knows her way around the slums and can probably get you some furniture to get this place to feel more like a home.”

Tifa looked around, examining the apartment. It was when she spun around that Cloud was aghast that she was crying, tears rolling down her face. 

“Uh...is everything OK?”

“Yeah, I’m just overwhelmed with how sweet everyone has been to me,” Tifa said, her eyes sparkling. “Marle. Aerith...you. It’s like I’m finally taking some steps forward with my life. I don’t feel so lost anymore. Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.” Cloud looked down at his boots, awkwardly shifting his weight from one side to the other. “So, I’m guessing you wanna take this apartment? If not, I can look somewhere else for you if that’s what you want. Granted, I wanna say sorry for not really telling you that you’d be my neighbor. I guess that’s a little weird—”

“No! It’s fine.” Tifa nodded. “Actually, I might feel better being around someone that I know. Since...you’re the only one really, plus Aerith, I guess that would make it more logical. I didn’t want to live with her forever, you know? I’m sure her mother felt awkward about it enough.”

“Right...anyway, don’t have to take Marle’s advice about finding another job than at the Honeybee Inn,” Cloud said reassuringly. “If you wanna still dance, you should still dance. You don’t need to feel bad about it.”

“I think...well, I’m curious to hear where she might have a job for me,” the girl said curiously. “I mean, there weren’t a lot of places that posted for new positions or anything like that. At least, things I’d be qualified for.”

Cloud shook his head. “I don’t think you’d need to worry that much. Marle has connections to pretty much everything and everyone in the slums. She’ll take good care of you.”

“And you too?” Tifa teased gently, causing Cloud to blush. “You’ve been such a help.”

“If that’s what you want,” Cloud said softly. He then caught himself and felt even more embarrassed trying to navigate what was happening. “Then...I’ll be there.”

“Huh? What was that?” Tifa asked. “Sorry, you were mumbling.”

“It was nothing,” Cloud said, shaking his head. “Anyways, I’ll leave you to it. If you need anything, I’m right next door.”

Tifa nodded, and surprising Cloud, gave him a gentle hug. He didn’t know what to do, so he awkwardly just patted her back before heading out the door. “Thanks for everything, Cloud.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Just as he started to turn back outside, Cloud surprised himself. 

“Hey...do you think I can have your number?”

Tifa seemed caught off-guard, but for only the briefest moment. She then smiled brightly. 

“Yeah! Sure.”

The dancer gave him her phone number and he registered it into his phone. Tifa blushed a slight pink before turning around. “Well, now you have no excuse to not talk to me directly now.”

“Hm?”

“You don’t have to keep going through Aerith in order to talk to me,” Tifa said. “Besides...it’s nice getting to know you.”

“Likewise.”

“Cloud? Will...I see you again?”

The SOLDIER paused slightly. He hated making promises that he wasn’t sure he’d be able to keep. With SOLDIER keeping him busy, he might not necessarily have the time to come and meet with Tifa whenever she was free. But, the look she gave him made his heart flutter slightly. 

It was a look that made him feel important, and lit something beneath his normally cool demeanor. 

“I’ll try. I’d like that.” He nodded. 

Cloud then motioned that he was leaving, and Tifa waved goodbye. He closed the door behind him before he felt his phone vibrating in his pocket. He reached into it and pulled out the device, only to see that it was Tseng giving him another call. 

“What is it, Tseng? It’s my day off.”

_ Cloud, we have some new information on Zack. We need you to come to headquarters now.  _

The SOLDIER felt the pit of his stomach turn. This was what he didn’t want to know. If Shinra knew, then they must  _ know  _ where he might be hiding and  _ who  _ is involved in keeping his whereabouts a secret. 

“I’m on my way.”


	5. Reunions of A Different Sort

It was strange, finding a permanent place to live. Tifa remembered how much she hated waking up in a locked bathroom stall or hotel room, worrying about where she would be sleeping that night. Instead, she woke up inside warm and safe inside her tiny apartment at Stargazer Heights about a week after securing the unit. 

Later that afternoon, Tifa planned to meet with Aerith and to search for new things that could help make her new apartment more homey. It all seemed really perfect, though she hardly ever saw Cloud because of his continued work at Shinra. He seemed distant, though he was like that to start. However, Tifa didn’t dare tell him that she missed seeing him around and being able to talk to him about whatever was happening in her life, and learning more about him too. 

The one time that Tifa did catch Cloud, he seemed troubled. He didn’t tell her much of anything, with things being confidential at Shinra, and so she didn’t try to push the subject. Yet, Cloud seemed distracted whenever she did greet him hello, wondering if maybe it was something she did. 

“It’s not like you’re seeing him or anything,” Tifa chided herself. “So what if he’s acting that way? It’s none of your business on what’s going on with him unless he talks to you about it. Leave it be.”

So, Tifa deftly tied her hair back in her usual dolphin-tail style and headed out the door after taking one last glance in the mirror. Feeling somewhat ready, she proceeded to go outside and close the door behind her where she then ran into Marle, the landlady. 

“Hey Marle,” Tifa said brightly to the landlady who smiled at her. “Good morning!”

“Tifa! My dear, dear girl,” she replied. “You just take your time getting settled, but I do have a lead on what kind of job might be available for you to consider if you’d like. No pressure.”

“Oh? What might that be?” 

Marle motioned for her to come closer, and once Tifa did, Marle handed her a folded sheet of paper with an address on it and the name “Seventh Heaven.”

“What’s that?” Tifa asked, squinting her eyes. “Is that...a bar?”

“Correct,” Marle replied. “It’s actually not that far from here, and the pay is decent. You might have to deal with folks every now and then coming in and trying to be aggressive with you, but I think you’re able to handle yourself. It’s a bit safer working there than at the Honeybee Inn.”

Tifa pursed her lips. “Really? A bar is safer than a dance club?”

“Well, I know what you’re thinking,” Marle replied. “But, these people at Seventh Heaven are good folks and there’s some people there that you might want to have in your corner and help you out in a tough spot. Plus, they live in this community and know what everyone needs and doesn’t need. I’d say, give it a chance.”

“What would I be doing at the bar?”

“Well, that’s gonna be the interview,” Marle said. “But, they need a new bartender for starters. Have you ever mixed a cocktail before?”

Tifa shrugged. “I don’t think I’ve really even drank alcohol before, let alone mix one for myself.”

“Well, there ya go,” Marle said. “You’d be perfect to train and to shoot down any bad habits before they settle.”

“I’ll think about it,” the dancer replied. “But, thanks for helping me out.”

“Anytime, sweetheart.”

* * *

Seventh Heaven reminded Tifa of something that she’d seen in a Western movie. The saloon style doors swung open and revealed exposed brick walls and some interesting pinball games lined up against the wall. There weren’t too many people inside, aside from three young folks drinking alone in a corner, and their eyes seemed to follow Tifa as she walked inside. 

What surprised Tifa was to see a little girl sitting at the counter swinging her legs. She barely came up to Tifa’s knees and wore a pink dress with a yellow bow attached to the front. She had shoulder length dark hair and brown eyes. The little girl suddenly turned her attention to Tifa and whimpered. 

“Uh…” Tifa began. The little girl ran behind the counter, hiding from view. It wasn’t until Tifa saw a huge man walk towards her. It wasn’t his sheer size that scared her, but it was the gun grafted into his arm that made the girl pause and take a few steps back, her breath quickening. 

“Who are you?” The man thundered. “Why do you scare my little girl like that?!”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare her,” Tifa answered. “Marle sent me down here for a job posting and I wanted to see if I could apply.”

The man looked down at her, growling and Tifa saw that the three people sitting in the corner were no longer talking amongst themselves, but staring at her and the man with interest. She shifted her focus and found that the man was slowly circling her, almost examining her. 

“This job has some tough work in it,” the man said, though Tifa was a little uncertain what he meant by it. “What makes you think you can handle what you’re about to face?”

“You mean drunks?” Tifa asked, bewildered causing the people to laugh and snicker, while the man sighed. “I can handle myself plenty. I work at the Honeybee Inn as a dancer, and I deal with a rough crowd all the time.”

“Wait! You’re a dancer?” The man started howling in laughter. “Marle sent me a dancer? Really? Look here little girl, I’m not running a daycare here. If you’re gonna be working for us, let’s get a few things straight. I’m not your daddy, and don’t be looking for anyone to kiss your boo boos, aight?”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me, we got enough shit to deal with than to worry about some kid that doesn’t know how to change her own diapers,” the man said rather snottily, causing Tifa to clench her fists. “This is more than just a bar operation, there’s certain things we need to get straight that I don’t think you can handle.”

The man started laughing again, as well as the people who were sitting in the corner. Tifa never got a close look at them before, but there was a man with a red headband that encircled his forehead underneath cropped black hair; a girl who looked a little older than Tifa with auburn hair with a red headband as well that was tied into a ponytail; and a rather large boyish looking man with a red bandana who was stuffing his face with a pizza. 

They were all  _ laughing  _ at her. Tifa growled and tried to keep her rage in control. The man stood in front of her and started chortling. “You know, I’d give you the final say, but there’s another guy here that I think would need to get your approval. He’s not in right now, but he’d really need to give you a once over before we can accept new members.”

“New members?” Tifa said, furrowing her eyes. “You mean...employees?”

“For now, yeah, guess you can call people that” the man said. “But, sorry little girl, don't think you got what it takes to run Seventh Heaven. You barely look older than 20.”

“I’m 20.”

“Well, then. That pretty much answers it then.” The man started smirking, though Tifa was more than ready to punch him in the face, though the little girl who was now peering over at her from the corner of the counter made Tifa want to restrain herself as much as possible. “But, let me see what you can do.”

“You mean...mixing drinks?”

“No, he means  _ this. _ ”

Suddenly, Tifa turned around and saw that the man with the red headband and green outfit pointed a gun at her and instinctively, she ducked and immediately swooped underneath his feet with a low kick, knocking him over in surprise. 

The woman with the ponytail then tried to engage Tifa with a series of punches and kicks, which she avoided with ease and then performed a somersault kick off her face, knocking the girl back several feet, crashing into the tables. It was when the large man came towards her in almost a fear-like fashion when Tifa growled and ran towards him, causing the man to yelp and run off. 

It was when Tifa heard the loading of a gun when she turned around and saw the man with the gun for an arm aiming for her. She performed a series of flips and suddenly grabbed the man by the front of his vest and forcefully threw him against the floorboards with as much strength as she could muster. 

Surprising herself, Tifa stood up tall and looked around the chaos that had unfolded just then. She worried that perhaps she hurt some of them, but she didn’t know how else to respond to a threat like that. After all, she just came in for a job interview. 

“Um...I guess I didn’t get the job then?” Tifa asked rather flatly, though the man who she threw against the ground groaned. The girl who Tifa somersaulted off of stood up, though she didn’t appear angry. Rather, stunning Tifa, she was actually  _ smiling _ .

“You’re hired.” The girl with the headband said. “You really know how to pack a punch, don’t you?” She immediately tossed her ponytail off to the side. “Anyway, the name’s Jessie.” She pointed to the man in green. “That’s Biggs.” And, she then sighed. “The guy who nearly shat himself is Wedge. Don’t worry, he’s usually pretty well suited for combat. You just scared him, that’s all.”

Then the man who had a gun for an arm slowly rose from the ground. Tifa braced herself, but he instead started nodding slowly in approval. “You got guts, girl. Sorry for being a bitch earlier, but we can’t be too careful. There’s too much informants around the slums, and you can’t trust nobody.”

“Huh?” Tifa asked, confused. “What do you mean,  _ informants? _ What exactly do you guys do? Is this not a bar?”

“Well, before we answer that, let me ask you…what do you think of Shinra?” Jessie asked, cocking her head. “There is a right answer to that, and that’ll help us reveal what we actually are.”

Tifa pondered this, and noted the matching headbands and the weapons and then the realization dawned on her. “You’re with Avalanche...aren’t you?” She asked quietly. 

“She’s got brains too,” the man with the gun for an arm said. “Well, I’m glad to see you’ve been doing your homework. But, we need to ask the question again. What do you think of Shinra?”

Tifa looked down at her hands and noticed how they were still clenched. “I don’t really care for them. I get what you guys try to do, and I don’t believe in hurting innocent people to get your message across. That’s just wrong.”

“Let me rephrase the question,” the man said. “If you believe that Shinra was bettering the Planet with absorbing the life from it in the name of comfort and luxury, would you keep supporting them? Do you believe that the Planet owes anyone anything aside from giving us life, and then taking it all back when it’s our turn to joining the Lifestream?”

It was a bit philosophical in nature, but Tifa knew what Barret meant. She looked down at herself, and wondered what mess she was getting herself into. “I think...protecting the Planet should be our priority,” she said. “There’s only one Planet. We should be taking care of it and hold people accountable for their actions and decisions.”

“A little pedestrian of an answer, but I think her heart’s in the right place,” Biggs said, clapping Tifa’s shoulder. “Well? Do you want to join Avalanche? Help us with our cause? Since you don’t seem to want to be a part of the bombings, why not just run the restaurant and bar and just manage the finances? We could agree on that, I think. Gives us less to worry about keeping appearances.”

Tifa felt her heart leap into her throat. This wasn’t exactly what she had in mind when coming into the bar. “I-I never mixed cocktails before. I don’t know…”

“Look,” the man with a gun for an arm reached behind the counter and pulled out a massive book. “Here are all the house specials and recipes you can try. We need a cook too, so whatever you bring to the table is probably gonna be better than whatever Wedge cooked up in the past.”

“Hey!” Wedge protested. 

“Just sayin’ big boy,” the man said. “We need someone to keep things running smoothly, and maybe...watch Marlene for me? Please?”

Everyone looked hesitant at Tifa, and she sighed. “Fine. But, I’m not going on any bombing missions.”

“That’s the spirit,” the man said. 

“What’s your name, anyway?” Tifa asked him. “You know, before I start working for some terrorist organization, I kind of want to know who I’m working for.”

“Barret Wallace.”

* * *

Tifa couldn’t help but laugh at her new predicament. She just signed up for being the manager of a terrorist organization without even knowing it. 

_ I’m not sure how Aerith and Cloud will think of this,  _ Tifa thought.  _ Do I even tell them? No...Cloud’s with Shinra. He would report them and me. Maybe I should go quit. _

“Tifa!”

Aerith smiled and waved at the girl, and on one arm, the flower girl was carrying a wicker basket containing a multiple of different blooms in various colors and fragrances that were vibrant and beautiful. Somehow, the flowers even illuminated the beauty that Aerith radiated as she smiled at her.  _ Of course, everything that Aerith does makes it that much more special,  _ Tifa thought to herself.  _ I can see why Cloud cares for her so much.  _

“Hey! How are you?” Aerith said, pulling her friend in close for a hug. “Are you settling OK?”

“I’m fine,” Tifa nodded. “Are you selling flowers?”

“Yep! I charge customers depending on how they’re behaving or how I think they should be charged,” the girl answered cheekily. “Sometimes it might be a gil, other times...it might be worth a heck of a lot more depending on my own mood. And, let me just say...some folks might be paying hundreds.”

“Oh, Aerith...really?”

“Well, you have to fend for yourselves a bit out here,” the flower girl said sternly. “Sometimes, a girl’s gotta do, what a girl’s gotta do. Midgar full of flowers, wallet full of money.”

There was the briefest of smiles that Aerith gave with that sentiment before turning away. Tifa wondered what that could possibly be about and just decided to keep it to herself for now. Aerith would most likely share when she could trust her completely. 

“Well, should we get going?” Tifa asked. “What places were you thinking about?”

“There’s a really neat second-hand shop topside that I think you might like,” Aerith said brightly. “It’s not what you’re probably thinking. There’s no other way to describe it, other than it’s  _ cool.  _ Plus, the owners I’m actually pretty good friends with and they can probably help you out in getting some essentials dirt cheap.”

“I’d like anything that’s  _ cheap _ ,” Tifa mused, causing both women to giggle amongst themselves. “But, sounds great. I need to get some new stuff since everything feels sort of...well…”

“Old? Crusty? Smelly?” Aerith teased, causing Tifa to blush red. “You’re fine, Tifa. Sometimes, people just need to focus more beyond the appearance. But, a new outfit would certainly pick up some spirits. That’s for sure.”

“But your outfit looks cool,” Tifa said, eyeing Aerith’s red leather jacket and light pink dress that stopped mid-calf. Her brown leather combat boots looked well traveled and comfortable. 

“Thanks, but you should ask Cloud what he thought when we first met,” the flower girl answered. “He didn’t really care much about it at all, and a lot of people used to make fun of me for looking plain Jane.”

“You?” Tifa asked, bewildered. “You’re gorgeous!”

“Speak for yourself,” Aerith said. “You’re also quite a looker. It’s no wonder Cloud wanted to help you out and be your own personal knight in shining armor, am I right?”

Tifa blushed. “Well, I don’t know if that’s the reason, but I do appreciate him being willing to help me out. I’m thankful to have friends like you both.”

Aerith beamed. “I’m glad we get to go on this  _ date _ .”

“Too bad Cloud couldn’t join us,” Tifa giggled. “He would’ve carried our stuff.”

“He’d be our pack Chocobo.”

The girls burst into laughter while heading topside for their adventure.

Tifa found things to furnish her new home. A vintage shop nearby sold music posters, and she was drawn to one with an illustration of a piano. She also managed to find some additional change of clothes. There, she found a white cropped tank top with a black sports bra underneath, along with red boots and thigh-high black socks. She also found some arm braces and black arm socks that surpassed her elbows. 

To finish off the outfit, Tifa found a comfortable black leather pleated skirt with suspenders and black spandex shorts underneath. She examined herself in the mirror and liked what she saw. Aerith also vocally approved of her outfit. 

“You look so sporty!” Aerith exclaimed. “Meanwhile, I can barely land on my feet whenever I need to fight off some creep on the street. It’s perfect.”

Tifa twirled herself around, and smiled. For once, she didn’t feel out of place. It was a sexy, sporty outfit that accentuated her best features, and made her feel like she can perform or do tasks without feeling super exposed either. Sure, the crop tank top was a bit more than what she thought she’d be comfortable wearing, but soon, she realized that it was OK to show some skin, as long as she set that limit and choice for herself. 

“I actually got a new job,” Tifa told Aerith, whose eyes widened. “I’m quitting the Honeybees.”

“What? Where?”

“I’m the new manager and bartender for Seventh Heaven in the slums,” Tifa said. “I might have to get some coasters and decorations for the bar.”

Aerith smiled. “That’s awesome! I’m glad you’re able to find a place that’ll take care of you. How are you feeling about it?”

“I’m feeling pretty good,” Tifa said, blushing and looking down at her shoes. “But, how much is it going to cost? That’s what I’m concerned about.”

“Don’t worry about it,” the shopkeeper shouted from the back. “Those are on the house. Just prove to me that you deserve them by working hard and by keeping yourself safe and off the streets from now on, OK?”

Tifa felt her throat close from threatening tears, but she nodded enthusiastically. “Thank you!”

“See? What’d I tell you?” Aerith winked. “Having friends in high places can help you out in a pinch.”

Tifa nodded.

After several hours of shopping, finding decorations for the bar and even coasters, Tifa found herself deeply immersed in her blossoming friendship with Aerith. It felt natural and even sisterly.

While on the way back, Tifa was deep in thought when Aerith held out a flower to her. It was the same one from the church with its delicate yellow petals and fragrant smell.

“You know, flowers have their own language,” Aerith said with a smile. “Some mean friendship. Some mean love. Some might even just be used to express gratitude.”

“What does this one mean?” 

“It’s one of my favorites,” Aerith said. “It symbolizes reunion. Lovers would give these when they reunited.”

Tifa smiled. “I like that.”

“Here, it’s for you.” Aerith gently tucked the flower underneath Tifa’s suspenders, securing it in place. She admired the look of it. “Consider it a gift! For our friendship.”

“Are you sure?” Tifa asked. “ I really should pay you for this…”

“Don’t be silly,” Aerith said firmly. “Besides, I’m sure it’d make your boyfriend’s day.”

“Cloud and I just met,” Tifa replied.

Aerith smiled mischievously. “Whoever said it was for Cloud?”

Tifa blushed red, looking down at her boots. “Well, I’m gonna go crawl into a hole now.”

“You  _ do _ like him.”

“I wouldn’t say that...it’s hard to explain,” Tifa contested. Though she wondered long about these feelings. She had just met the guy and yet, there were emotions whenever she was around him that felt as if they had been there for years. Intimate thoughts and feelings that could only be developed over time.

“I see,” Aerith said, tilting her head. She then turned around to look through the window of the train, where the view of the passing slums blurred together. “Those types of feelings are rare.”

“I’m guessing you’re thinking about Zack?”

“Yeah...it’s been a long time since I’ve heard from him.” Aerith sighed. “Several years, actually,”

“What happened to him?”

“He...went out on an assignment a long time ago and said he’d come back. Cloud went with him and...well...we don’t know what happened since then.”

Tifa nodded. “I’m sorry. It’s such a touchy subject.”

Aerith shook her head. “It doesn’t matter now. All I can do now is keep living my life and move on. It’s just...I wish he would’ve answered my letters. I wrote him more than 80 and I never once got a reply.”

Something felt off to Tifa as Aerith looked like she was struggling to reveal what was truly hiding in the depths of her heart. But the sudden jolt of the train stopping prompted Tifa to stop and immediately stand.

“This is me.”

“I had a great time!” Aerith said with a bright smile. “Call me if you need anything else!”

Tifa smiled back. “Will do.”

* * *

Several weeks passed since her excursion and Tifa finally felt a rhythm in her new life. Get things situated at Seventh Heaven, care for Marlene and mix drinks and cook. She surprised herself with her abilities and soon, customers would rave about her. Nights grew steadily booked and crowded. 

With the amount of tips she made, Tifa never felt so secure before. She was surprised that Avalanche barely even mentioned their missions out in the open around her, though they’d go downstairs on the hidden elevator that was disguised as a pinball machine. 

Tifa preferred it that way and to distance herself from the actual bombing plans. She’d rather focus on being the manager and the face for the bar, which was received positively. 

Barret always talked about  _ the boss _ though Tifa never met him or her during the last few weeks. He said that the boss would only come in when things needed to get done for Avalanche and that it’d mean something serious was going to happen if she did meet him. But she was fine with never meeting him.

It was bittersweet letting Andrea know that she’d no longer be at the inn, he seemed elated and hugged her, assuring that she was making the right decision for herself.

_ “You are good now, and don’t forget beauty comes from within,”  _ he told her when she quit.  _ “You’ll always be a Honeybee to us.” _

This morning, Tifa decided to work out. She wrapped her hands and started striking a punching bag in the corner of her unit. Tifa’s muscles seemed well poised for boxing and martial arts, despite never having done it before. With each swing, she would grin as she’d connect and feel the surge of power it would give her from placing well targeted blows and kicks. 

With each punch, Tifa felt her headaches were slowly dissipating and instead, filled her body with adrenaline. Each well placed hit made her feel invincible and powerful. Ever since she discovered her own abilities that day at Seventh Heaven, the bartender wanted to keep honing her skills 

Just as she was about to take another swing at the bag, a voice broke through her thoughts. 

“You’re good at this.”

Tifa suddenly turned and found that Cloud was standing in the doorway. She blushed bright red before turning down the music. “Sorry...did I wake you up?”

“No, I just got back from an assignment,” Cloud replied casually. He then leaned up against the door post and examined her with some low-key interest. “You know, you keep surprising me. Since when have you been a martial artist? That’s pretty good.”

“Actually, I’ve never done it before,” Tifa confessed, noting the raising eyebrows on Cloud’s face. “It just sort of came naturally. But, with me working late night shifts and all the drunks coming around, I thought it was probably best for me to figure out how to protect myself so that I’m not always relying on blonde SOLDIER members coming to save the day.”

Cloud smirked, and Tifa immediately felt something flutter against her chest. The way he  _ looked  _ at her when he did that drove her insane, and it was enough for her to want to just—

“But do you like living here in Stargazer Heights?” Cloud interrupted, causing Tifa to laugh nervously. “Sorry I have been AWOL for a while. Just a lot of things at work.”

“It’s fine.” 

Tifa smiled at him. She then faltered when he appeared to be staring at the flower that was sitting in some water on her bedside table. 

“Did Aerith give you that?” Cloud asked. Tifa nodded. “I see she snuck you one.”

“I like it,” Tifa said. “She told me it symbolizes reunion.”

Suddenly, Cloud gripped his forehead painfully and Tifa felt herself experience a surge of pain in her own head 

“You OK?” Cloud grunted. Tifa tried to respond but the pain left such a feeling of nausea and a swirling pit in her stomach. “Tifa…”

“I could ask you the same thing,” Tifa said. “Are  _ you  _ OK?”

“It comes and goes,” Cloud answered. 

“So does mine.”

The two looked at each other and despite the pain, Tifa started laughing. Cloud looked bewildered.

“What’s so funny?”

“Just...oh, Cloud,” Tifa laughed. “I barely know you and yet here we are sharing almost the same exact headaches. Kind of makes you laugh.”

Cloud awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. “I guess that is pretty funny.” He shook his head before taking a few steps and sat himself down on Tifa’s bed, which now had a quilted bedspread on top. “Your apartment’s looking a lot more like home, I see.”

“Yeah,” Tifa nodded. “It’s definitely come a long way. But, hey, with me being so busy at Seventh Heaven now, I don’t really have much time to decorate it anymore than it is now. So, this is probably as good as it’s going to get.”

The SOLDIER’s eyes glowed mysteriously. “I didn’t know you quit the Honeybee thing.”

“Oh...I did,” Tifa said awkwardly. “I assumed that Aerith told you all about it.”

“I haven’t seen her much as of late, and it’s not like she feels the need to tell me  _ everything _ that goes on in other people’s lives,” Cloud replied flatly. He then composed himself. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to snap. It’s just...a lot of things are happening right now with…”

“Zack?”

“How did you know that?”

“I kinda figured,” Tifa replied, softly. “Aerith talks about him every now and then. She really misses him, but it’s kind of sad how he never replied to any of her letters. The least he could do was try.”

Cloud shook his head. “Zack would have if he could. Something happened to him, but now, things are pointing in a direction that I’m not wanting to think about.”

“I guess you can’t really tell me?” Tifa asked. “Since, it’s Shinra confidential?”

“Unfortunately.” Cloud sighed and pressed his forehead with his finger tips. “It’s more than I thought what SOLDIER would be, and quite frankly, I’m not completely thrilled about it either.”

Tifa shifted her weight onto each foot, before looking at Cloud again. She knew that Avalanche made her swear not to tell anyone about their whereabouts. It was almost an open secret, yet, there could be people in the slums who’d be willing to turn them in and get a handsome reward from Shinra. 

Cloud was someone she could trust, but Tifa knew that with his close proximity to Shinra, he’d probably turn them all in, including her. She sighed. There was so much she wished she could tell Cloud. 

“Well, I’m gonna get going,” Cloud said. He rose from the bed before taking his leave. “It was nice seeing you again.”

“Likewise,” Tifa said with a nod before turning back to her punching bag. It was after a couple punches before she realized that Cloud hadn’t left yet. “Was there something else you needed?”

Cloud sighed. “Not really. Just hoping things with this Zack stuff will get done and over with eventually.”

“I see, well, if you’d like I can whip you up a drink after your shift tonight!” Tifa said warmly, prompting Cloud to raise an eyebrow at her. “Mind you, I’ve been getting really good at it. My Cosmo Canyon is one of the best.”

“I’ll be the judge of that.” The SOLDIER nodded. “I’ll swing by after 8 then. Save a glass for me.”

“Will do.”

* * *

Tifa was preparing herself for the evening rush. It was then she realized that Barret and the rest of Avalanche seemed preoccupied, pouring over another bombing mission. This time, it seems that they were focusing on blowing up Sector 1’s reactor, and Jessie began creating an explosive agent that would detonate and destroy the reactor. 

“Boss is coming with us on this mission,” Barret said with a grin. “Tifa, you’ll finally get to meet the guy. He’s been around for several years, but this is the first time in a long while that he’s gonna be joining us.”

“Can’t wait to meet him,” Tifa said with a nod. “I’m guessing you’ll need an extra seat for tonight?”

“Don’t bother,” a voice said. “I’m already here.”

Tifa turned around, and suddenly, she felt something in her heart start to beat out of her chest from the pure shock of seeing a man with black spiky hair and mako-blue eyes grinning at her. She felt something stir within her, as if this man was someone she would remember, but she couldn’t recall. 

Except the man stared at her, and seemed stunned. 

“Tifa?”

“Beg pardon?” Tifa said. “I’m sorry, do I know you?”

The man immediately ran towards her around the bar, and despite what Tifa expected, he folded his arms around her in a warm, tight embrace. “You’re alive!”

“Alive?” Tifa asked, bewildered. “Of course I am, but I’m sorry, do I know you? I-I don’t know who you are.”

“It’s me Tifa…Zack.”


	6. On the Other Side

Ever since he started living next door to Tifa, Cloud felt himself lowering his guard whenever he was around her. Despite their minimal interactions, he couldn’t help but warm up to her and find himself wanting to catch glimpses of her whenever she was getting ready for her shift at Seventh Heaven. 

Her latest invitation to grab a drink after his shift made him feel slightly nervous that this might lead to something between the two of them. Cloud couldn’t deny the chemistry he felt with her, but he hadn’t even thought about asking her to go on an actual date with him. 

At least, these thoughts consumed him as Cloud visited the Sector 5 Church, waiting for Aerith and her daily diligence in tending to the flower beds there. He stood off to the side, leaning up against one of the stone pillars. He thought about how to go about this new relationship that seemed to be blossoming between himself and the bartender, but he couldn’t help but try to close himself off even more. 

_ It just doesn’t work with SOLDIER members,  _ he thought to himself annoyed.  _ I mean, I don’t know of any girls who would want to stick around and wait on some guys when they barely see them enough as is.” _

“You seem deep in thought,” a voice suddenly said to him. 

Cloud jumped, turned and found Aerith giggling. He sighed. “Why do you feel the need to always try and scare the shit out of me? One of these days, you might get the wrong reaction and who’s gonna get blamed? Me.”

“Oh, lighten up will you?” The flower girl dusted off her dress. “I just got here, and you’re already in La La Land like you normally are.”

She then smiled. “So, I take it that you’re having a good day? You’re smiling.”

“I guess you can say that, sure,” he replied. He paused for a moment before adding, “I visited Tifa earlier in her apartment.”

“OH!” Aerith blushed with a big grin. “Did you behave yourself?”

“Aerith! Not THAT!” Cloud flushed awkwardly. “No, just visited her and checked in on her. Nothing happened!”

“I’m sure you didn’t,” Aerith answered in a sing-song voice. She winked at Cloud, who then rolled his eyes. “Here, can you hang onto this for me?”

The flower girl handed Cloud a wicker basket, which he obliged and hung off the crook of his arm. Aerith started weeding through the grass again and then picked some of the best blossoms and placed them into the basket. Cloud craned his neck. “Are you selling them again?”

“Yep! Today, I’m gonna go topside in Sector 1,” Aerith answered, not taking her focus off her work. 

The SOLDIER immediately thought back to his last meeting with Tseng before coming in for the morning and visiting with Tifa.

* * *

_ Cloud was in the locker room after finishing up taking a shower before getting himself dressed and ready to head home for some sleep before his next shift. The water dripped down his face as he dried his hair with a towel and he sighed at the relief of washing off the grime and dirt from having dispatched several criminals from the slums.  _

_ “Just another day,” Cloud thought to himself. He slowly packed up his bag and headed out of the locker rooms. During the night, no one was really out and about. Just several of the night security guards who’d nod at Cloud who would reciprocate with a subtle one of his own.  _

_ He remembered working those shifts, and boy, there were days when he missed just being around people and just shooting the breeze. Rarely anything happened while on duty. Now, he could barely take some time to breathe for himself.  _

_ Several cleaning and maintenance staff would be fixing the ID check-ins and fix the elevators. Cloud sighed at the sight of one of the elevators that seemed busted. They never seemed to be working whenever he was done with work. Now, he’d have to take the stairs.  _

_ Just as he started heading for the door leading to the stairwells, Cloud felt a slight tap on his shoulder. He turned and saw that Tseng was standing behind him.  _

_ “Oh, hey.” _

_ “We need to talk,” Tseng muttered.  _

_ Cloud groaned. “I just got done with my shift, Tseng. Can’t this wait till tomorrow?” _

_ “No. We need to do this now.” _

_ The head Turk motioned for Cloud to follow him, and he reluctantly obliged, though he was cursing under his breath. Ever since the Zack thing, everyone had been on high alert. Sephiroth seemed more than angry with how things were going, and yet, he never really told Cloud why he had been on edge.  _

_ The two men walked upstairs to Tseng’s office tucked away in the Public Safety Division wing. Tseng opened the door and motioned for Cloud to take a step inside. Cloud only had been in here once, and that was because Heidegger wanted to get him and Tseng on the same page about working together for advancing his rank into the SOLDIER program.  _

_ It was a relatively modest sized office with red curtains that framed the Midgar skyline. Cloud frowned at the plush and posh feelings that the space gave off. So, this was how someone who didn’t have to go out into the field as much could stand a desk job.  _

_ “This better be good, Tseng.” _

_ “Well, we have an assignment for you that’s of the utmost importance,” the head Turk said while motioning for Cloud to take a seat. The SOLDIER sighed and seated himself in front of Tseng’s desk, where he noticed several files that were kept in a disheveled pile. One of them read, “Nibelheim.” _

_ “Keeping house, Tseng?” Cloud smirked, though the head Turk frowned as he quickly moved the pile of folders into his desk and locked it within one of the drawers. “No need to clean up, just teasing.” _

_ Tseng frowned. “Cloud, from intel we’ve gathered, Avalanche plans to make a move on the Sector 1 Reactor...tonight.” _

_ The SOLDIER rolled his eyes. Avalanche sent out threats all the time, and nothing would usually come from those. Mostly just a couple dumpster fires and some vandalism of the entry points to the reactors. Yet, they’d never venture inside. Not unless they figured out a way to get past the security systems.  _

_ “Don’t you have anyone else to take care of it?” Cloud said, rolling his eyes. “I thought the grunts were the ones usually on guard for these types of situations.” _

_ “They are, but we need to beef up security and get things taken care of before anything happens to the reactor,” Tseng explained harshly. “Even our Scorpion Guard robot has been malfunctioning as of late. We can’t afford to just let this threat go by without being thorough with our investigation. We believe it’s credible.” _

  
  


_ “So, what’s different this time?” Cloud asked, crossing his arms. “Avalanche isn’t really that much of a threat. They’re more bark than bite, Tseng. I wouldn’t really worry about it.” _

_ “Several warehouses belonging to Shinra with an explosive compound have been infiltrated in the last several nights,” Tseng said flatly. “We believe Avalanche has something to do with it, meaning they’re looking to make a stronger statement than before. We can’t allow it to happen. Innocent people are going to die.” _

_ “That’s rich, seeing as the Turks aren’t above extortion and murder, I thought,” Cloud said coldly, Tseng flinched. “But, I guess if you’re THAT concerned, then I’ll be at the reactor tonight.” _

_ “Glad to hear it.” _

_ Tseng then motioned for Cloud to leave, who obliged and started heading out the door before Tseng called out to him, “Don’t let your guard down.” _

_ “I never do.” _

_ Cloud was about to make a smart comment at Tseng, but was taken aback by the look of conflict in his eyes. “What’s wrong?” _

_ Tseng shook his head. “Just...don’t let Shinra question where your loyalties are.” _

_ The SOLDIER shot him a puzzled look, before leaving the office with Tseng looking out into the skyline with a broken expression.  _

* * *

Cloud walked with Aerith for a while around the church and listened to her hum cheerfully to herself, and the flower girl seemed to sense there was something wrong. Then again, when it came to her, she could always tell. 

“What’s going on?” She asked quietly. “Why are you so quiet?”

“I’m always quiet,” Cloud retorted, though half-heartedly. “That’s just how I am.”

Aerith clicked her tongue before looking down at the flowers she was tending. “You don’t need to tell me anything, but I’m guessing what you found out is not exactly something you were expecting, or hoping for anyway.”

“Right on the nose, again.”

“Hope your night isn’t going to be too crazy,” Aerith said. She then smiled. “Are you going to be seeing Tifa any time soon?”

Cloud looked down in embarrassment. He couldn’t help but think of the drink offer she had for that night and he wanted nothing more to go and visit. The SOLDIER thought to himself and smiled, this movement caught by the flower girl who started teasing him. 

“You’re blushing, Cloud.”

“I am?”

“You like her!”

Cloud didn’t know how to respond to that. He merely shook his head. 

“Hey! It’s not that bad,” the flower girl protested. “You just have to know what your priorities are, but you also have to have time for some happiness when you’re always caught up in something from Shinra.”

Aerith’s emerald green eyes then sparkled. “I happen to know for a fact that the hottest new bartender of the Sector 7 Slums has a love interest, and she wants him to make a move.”

He knew that Aerith wanted a reaction out of him, but Cloud tried to remain uninterested in the conversation. Though, he couldn’t help but feel pleased that Tifa seemed to be interested in him. 

“You like the attention,” Aerith teased. “You’re quite the catch, and I’m sure you’re thinking the same way about her too, right? Am I right?”

“It’s not like that!” Cloud said firmly, though a bit too quickly. “It’s more like...I don’t know how to explain it. I feel like I know Tifa, but I’m not sure where. It’s like I’ve known her for a really long time, but that’s impossible...right?”

She smiled sadly. “Just don’t forget to let yourself feel happy. You deserve to be. Nothing lasts forever and you’ll have to cherish everything you can while you still have it.” 

Cloud felt confused by this. “What do you mean?”

“C’mon! The Leaf House needs more flowers for later today!” Aerith almost sang. She almost ran off to avoid talking to Cloud, who merely shook his head. 

“Never a dull moment with this one,” he muttered to himself before following suit. 

* * *

Night time shifts were what Cloud preferred. He liked the feeling of the cold air and there being less activity on the streets. Though from the occasional drunken bastard who’d stumble on the brick-paved roads and those catching the late show of Loveless at the square, Cloud was usually on duty and on alert, watching folks come in and out of the area with little to no interest. 

But, tonight was different. He was guarding the reactor from the pipeworks, observing any strange movements or suspicious activity that’d require his focus. He stood off near the elevator that would take folks down straight to the reactor core, and he was certain that Avalanche would be making an appearance at some point. 

“So far, so good,” Cloud mumbled. He looked down at his boots and pulled out his cell phone. The time read “8:08,” and he groaned. He was sure that Tifa was most likely going to be waiting on him, and he merely texted her saying that it’s possible he might not be making it for that drink after all. 

_ Sorry about that, _ he pressed on the buttons.  _ I’ll make it up to you.  _

A few seconds passed before he saw that Tifa read the message. She then pinged back:

_ No worries. I’ll have a drink waiting for you anyway. Just come by whenever.  _

_ Thanks. Hope I’ll get off my shift soon.  _

_ Stay safe! _

Cloud sighed and tucked the phone back into his pants. He wished he could tell Tifa about his missions and his plans for the night, but that would violate every security policy that SOLDIERs had to abide by. He wasn’t one to really spill company secrets, and who knows...maybe he’ll be able to really tell Tifa all these things one day when he wasn’t doing this anymore. 

Still, he couldn’t help but think about Tseng’s ominous statement about making sure he doesn’t give the company any reasons to question his loyalty. He wondered what that could’ve possibly meant. 

“Sir!” 

Cloud faced his left and saw that two Shinra grunts were standing at attention, and he nodded at them. “At ease.”

“Sir, we saw on our security footage that some unknown individuals have entered the reactor,” one said meekly. “We believe that it’s  _ them _ .”

“No shit, Sherlock,” his buddy shot at him before turning his attention back to Cloud. “Sir, do you want us to ring in the alarms?”

The SOLDIER shook his head. “I don’t want to scare them off. They haven’t really done anything yet. We want to arrest them and take them into custody. But, if you have to rough them up a bit, then I’m not opposed.”

“So...what’s the plan?” One of the grunts asked. 

“We’re gonna lay low, and I’ll try to dispatch them as quietly and quickly as I can,” Cloud said. “We don’t want to sound the alarms and cause massive pandemonium for citizens outside on the plate. We have to make sure to keep this as discreet as possible.”

“Yes sir.” Both grunts nodded. “We’ll go let the others know.”

Cloud then proceeded down the hallways and took a couple leaps across metal scaffolding that were suspended above the reactor’s main room. He looked down at the ever winding metal maze of pipes, and tried to see if there was anything out of place. 

It was then, his enhanced vision caught movement. 

There at the center of the reactor, Cloud could see a large man with a gun for an arm standing guard, and another man placing something onto the core. It was definitely them. Avalanche. He never thought that they’d be aiming to actually destroy a reactor, when before they were more for spreading propaganda and lies about Shinra. 

This was extreme and crossing the line, Cloud thought, as the man started punching in some keys on the object. From his hiding spot, the SOLDIER First Class jumped and snuck behind the man with the gun arm and using a Stop Materia, froze him from moving. 

The man’s eyes moved rapidly in shock as Cloud moved ahead toward the man setting the bomb. He unsheathed his Buster Sword and aimed it at his unsuspecting back. 

“If I were you, I’d drop everything you’re doing before I kill you,” Cloud muttered coldly. The man stopped what he was doing and slowly rose. He turned around. 

Cloud’s eyes waivered. There in front of him, was the ghost of Zack Fair. His black hair and blue eyes. Their eyes locked. They recognized each other, and immediately, everything around them came to a screeching halt. Cloud felt as if his whole world was underwater, he couldn’t feel air getting into his lungs. This just couldn’t be. 

“Zack?” Cloud called out in disbelief. “You’re alive?”

“I was wondering when I’d be seeing you eventually,” Zack said quietly. He then smiled. “It’s been a long time, Cloud.”

“What the hell are you doing here?” Cloud blurted out, his hands were shaking. “Why...why are you doing this?”

“That’s gonna have to be a story time for another day,” Zack said. He sighed. “I really don’t want to have to kill you, man. We’re friends.”

“How can we be, if you’re betraying everything you taught me? Embracing my dreams and protecting my honor?” Cloud said, his voice rising. “You’re literally going to kill innocent people because you hate Shinra all of a sudden?!”

“Don’t you remember what happened in Nibelheim?” Zack asked in a concerned tone. “That’s kind of something hard to forget, especially since so many people have been affected. You especially.”

“Nibelheim?” Cloud repeated slowly. He couldn’t remember anything from that. “Nibelheim? What the fuck do you mean, Nibelheim?”

“I’ll explain everything to you...if you make it out,” Zack said. He slowly lifted a controller, and before Cloud could react, he pushed a button on a controller.

“Zack! We gotta go!” one of the Avalanche members shouted, calling out to their leader. The ex-SOLDIER looked at them and then back at Cloud, his eyes almost apologetic and frightened. But, he immediately turned around and started heading for the exit to the reactor. 

“I trusted you!” Cloud roared. “I TRUSTED YOU!” He was about to move toward Zack, but immediately had to double back as the spell on one of the Avalanche members started to wear off. 

Suddenly, the large man with a gun for an arm broke from the Stop spell and aimed several shots at Cloud, who jumped into the air and flipped backwards to avoid the rounds hitting against the metal pipes and valves. It sent bright hot sparks everywhere. Some even burst open, letting out hot streams of steam. 

“Go to hell, SOLDIER boy,” the man said through a gruff voice. Cloud couldn’t see the man’s eyes behind the sunglasses, but knew he aimed to kill. The blonde jumped up into the air and started blocking the bullets that the man continued shooting at him with his Buster Sword. “Be a good dog and stay down!”

Another Avalanche member started shooting at Cloud who dodged. It was a girl with a ponytail and red headband. “Sorry, cutie,” she said with a wink. “Can’t have you messing with our mission. Too bad you’re on the other side, otherwise I’d totally ask you out.”

“Not now, Jessie!” A large and wide Avalanche member called out. “We gotta get going! Stop playing games!”

“Wedge! Jessie!” A man in green shouted. “Get going!” 

“Biggs! C’mon I’m just messing around,” said the girl named Jessie. She winked again at Cloud. “Later, SOLDIER Boy! Or, at least if you make it out of here alive. Otherwise, nice meeting you!”

Jessie started running towards the exit, followed by Biggs and Wedge, leaving Cloud to reset himself. 

“Barret! Not now! We gotta go!” Zack called out to him. He looked back at Cloud while running. “I’m sorry, Cloud!”

Soon, the group disappeared, leaving Cloud angry and confused about what just happened. Through the noise, the alarm started ringing throughout the reactor, warning of a system meltdown and that everyone needed to evacuate within the next ten minutes. 

“ZACK!” 

Cloud ran towards the direction where Avalanche disappeared, but immediately the sounds of gunfire rapidly tore through the air, echoing like an endless warzone. Grunts were shouting commands and shooting at random. Sparks flew and alarms blared. Soon he’d need to evacuate and leave the area. There was no time to try and disarm the bomb. 

“Sir! We need to leave! Get cover!” One grunt called out to him. Cloud nodded.

“Head for the exits! We can’t stay here! Go!’

All the infantrymen started running towards the exits while Cloud gave one last look at the center of the reactor, knowing that he had failed in protecting it from the Avalanche terrorists. 

“Shit.”

Running through the massive maze of pipework and metal stairs, Cloud kept running. He wanted nothing more to catch his breath and process all that just happened, but all he could do now was focus on the objective and get himself to safety before the timer went off on the bomb. 

“Was that Zack Fair? I thought he was dead!” One of the grunts said. “Kunzel, man! He’s gonna be shocked to hear this once we tell him!”

“I wouldn’t right now,” Cloud told him. “Focus on surviving and maybe, we’ll tell him.”

Soon, the exit was within sight. Cloud gritted his teeth and kept running. Almost there...

Just as he and the other grunts made it through the metal doors and onto the bridges, a massive shockwave obliterated the reactor, some who were caught in the killzone fell to the ground with blood spattered helmets and were facedown on the ground in lifeless masses. Cloud’s eardrums almost shattered as he felt the shockwaves continuing to cause small earthquakes all around him. 

Suddenly, the bridge was about to give way to the fiery explosions when Cloud instinctively shot his grappling hook and swung himself through the air to quickly escape the path of the fireballs that were sprouting from the destroyed reactor. There was so much black smoke swirling and rising in the air, and rubble crumbling around him that Cloud couldn’t believe that this was happening. 

“Shit,” he thought. Just as he was about to land himself to safety, another smaller explosion dislodged his grappling hook, causing the SOLDIER to be flung across the air. His back was thrown up against a brick wall on the outside, knocking the wind out of him. His head cracked, causing his vision to blur and soon, he heard nothing but the screams of people running out onto the streets, and the cries of those who were lost in the city that plunged into darkness. 


	7. Alone At Last

The lights flickered slightly inside Seventh Heaven, and several bottles shook precariously from their shelves as Tifa tried to keep herself focused on her tasks. 

She felt her hands shake. She heard a massive explosion off into the distance, frightening Marlene who whimpered as she sat at the barstool, watching the television. Tifa didn’t want to have the channel flipped to the news, but the little girl had insisted on it, wondering if her daddy would be OK. 

_ “Breaking news, Shinra Electric Power Co. issued a statement regarding the Sector 1 Reactor explosion. Believed to be the work of eco-terrorist group Avalanche, law enforcement is tightening security. Trains operations have been suspended until further notice. Sources say that there have been at least a couple hundred people injured, and a dozen reported dead.” _

Tifa tried to scrub the dishes harder, turning the water up as high as it could go so that it’d be more difficult to hear the news broadcast. But, she knew that Marlene was more perceptive than most children, and that she was wondering about what happened and whether her daddy was coming home that night. 

The bartender turned off the water, and then wiped her hands on a dish towel before preparing a small sandwich for Marlene’s supper. She pulled out some bread, cheese and ham from the mini fridge and cut off the crusts. It was something to keep Tifa busy, though it wasn’t really making her feel any better about the situation. 

“Marlene, are you sure you don’t want anything to eat?” Tifa prompted, sliding a small sandwich over to the little girl, who merely looked down at the plate. The bartender sighed. “Your daddy is gonna be OK. I guarantee it.”

“I know,” Marlene nodded in acknowledgement.

“You know, your daddy is gonna be mad if you don’t finish your dinner and get ready for bed,” Tifa teased gently. “Don’t you want to show him that you’re a good girl and that you’re ready for him to tuck you in tonight?”

Marlene again, nodded before slowly hopping off the stool with her sandwich and headed upstairs to get ready for bed. Tifa hated how defeated the kid looked, and she wasn’t thrilled about the conversation she wanted to have with Barret for leaving his daughter alone like this. 

Tifa sighed. She wiped down the bartop and placed some of the dirty plates and glasses left behind by patrons into a plastic tub before heading back behind the counter to finish counting down the till. It was a pretty busy night, and there was nothing more she wanted to do than to snuggle under the covers and sleep. 

But, her heart raced and there was a tight knot in her stomach. This was a mission that Avalanche had been planning for some time, and Zack leading the charge...she wasn’t exactly sure what to do. Tifa wanted to tell Aerith about Zack, but the man had ordered her not to reveal anything to anyone. 

\---

_ Tifa grew confused at Zack’s familiarity with her. She never met him before, yet here he was, standing in the flesh with eyes that glimmered with excitement and relief.  _

_ “Z-Zack?” Tifa asked. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know you. Just in passing. What do you mean, I’m alive? Of course I am.” _

_ Avalanche members looked at each other confused, Barret most of all.  _

_ “Hold up, Zack you know this girl?” The man with the gun for an arm asked. “How can it be?” _

_ Zack looked around the room and then at Tifa. “We met years ago in her hometown of Nibelheim.” _

_ Tifa’s head shot up. “Nibelheim? I’m from Nibelheim?” Tifa asked curiously. “I-I don’t remember any of that. Sorry, Zack, but I’ve never heard of that town before. Where is it?” _

_ “It’s a mountain village on another continent,” Zack answered. “I’m surprised at you, Tifa. You and Cloud being from the same place, after all.” _

_ Tifa’s heart started beating. Her and Cloud? They came from the same hometown? But, he said that he never met her before. Was...Cloud lying? _

_ “The look on your face says that you didn’t remember that,” Zack said quietly. “That would’ve broken the kid’s heart.” _

_ “What do you mean?” Tifa asked, bewildered. “I met Cloud a few weeks ago.” _

_ “What?!” Zack sprang up. “Wait! Cloud’s alive? He’s OK!?” _

_ “Calm down,” Tifa said motioning for him to stop. “Yeah, he’s fine. I met him at Wall Market, and we live next to each other now. He’s in SOLDIER First Class like you, I thought?” _

_ Zack’s expression suddenly changed from excitement, before several different unrecognizable emotions started appearing on his face. “I see.” _

_ “What’s wrong?” Tifa asked. “Did I say something?” _

_ “No, it’s not that,” Zack said, rubbing the back of his neck. “So, he’s in SOLDIER First Class now…” _

_ “Wasn’t he before?” The bartender asked. “I’m so confused, what’s going on?” _

_ Barret exchanged looks with Biggs, Jessie and Wedge who all silently shrugged and walked away, leaving Tifa and Zack to talk in near whispers.  _

_ “Tifa...how come you don’t remember anything?” _

_ “I-I mean, I don’t know,” the bartender said. “It’s kind of hard to think when someone you were talked to about for the last several weeks suddenly appears out of nowhere. I’m just more upset that you never thought to reach out to Cloud or Aerith.” _

_ Crack. Zack accidentally knocked over a glass that was sitting on the bar counter, his face white and his eyes shining almost confused.  _

_ “You know Aerith?” He said in a near whisper. “You know her?” _

_ Tifa felt as if she just crossed a boundary somewhere, but the pained look on Zack’s face made her even more resolved to figure out exactly to what extent Zack had kept himself away from his closest friends. _

_ “Haven’t you visited Aerith at all?” Tifa asked almost worriedly. “How many years has it been since you’ve spoken to her? She thinks you’re dead!” _

_ Zack looked down at his hands and clenched them. His mako-blue eyes glowed. “It’s been five years.” _

_ “I have her number!” Tifa said, pulling out her phone. “Why not ask her to come down and---” _

_ “I can’t,” Zack said, shaking his head. “She’ll be in more danger to get wrapped up in what I’m doing. Besides, if something happens to me, I don’t want her to get attached and deal with that too.” _

_ “She deserves to know the truth,” Tifa answered flatly. “She doesn’t deserve this.” _

_ “I know, which is why I’m staying away from her,” Zack replied coolly. “The only thing I care about is her being safe and staying out of this. Shinra’s after her. The only thing keeping her safe is Cloud which I’m OK with letting him protect her.” _

_ Tifa’s eyes widened. Shinra? What did Shinra have to do with Aerith? _

_ “There’s a lot you don’t know, Tifa,” Zack said, shaking his head. “A lot of things that happened within the last several years that have hurt me and others. Things you should remember, but don’t. The thing is though, you’re here now and that’s something that can’t just be coincidence.” _

_ The bartender looked at Zack and then felt herself crumble. “Zack…” _

_ “Tifa, I know that it’s hard not remembering things but little by little, you’ll remember things and soon, everything will make sense,” the ex-SOLDIER said. “But until then, you have to promise that you won’t tell Cloud or Aerith about me. I have to do that on my own.” _

\---

“I hate this,” she muttered to herself. “I’m just...sick of all of this.”

Tifa scrubbed the dirty dishes in the sink with sudsy water and dipped her elbows into the hot water, scouring the burnt bits of a frying pan she used earlier. Despite not being a participant in the bombings, Tifa couldn’t help but feel responsible for what happened tonight. 

Sector 1 was in complete chaos, and soon, Shinra would be investigating the bombings and ultimately confirm what most suspected: Avalanche. She was certain that someone would have to have known in the slums that the group had a home base down here and that it would only be a matter of time. 

Tifa frowned. That would mean that it’s possible that Cloud could be investigating this too. She hated lying to him about Avalanche and not knowing if she could completely trust him to know that she was working for them in a way. 

The bombings...she’d never support, but what else could she do? Turn them in? 

The bartender looked over her shoulder and saw Marlene wiping tears from her eyes. Whether from being sad or scared or even tired, Tifa wasn’t sure. She hated the idea that Barret could die from a mission, leaving a little girl on her own. She felt maternal instincts kicking in as she sought to comfort her as much as possible. 

“Don’t worry about a thing, Marlene,” Tifa said brightly. “It’ll be alright. Your daddy is on his way home now. I’ll let you know when he’s back.”

“OK!” The little girl smiled and started heading upstairs to get ready for bed while Tifa sighed again. This was just another thing that she learned to do while at Seventh Heaven, lie. She hated doing it, but it was the only way to keep some calm and make sure that no one panicked. 

Tifa wasn’t sure how much Marlene knew about Barret’s involvement with Avalanche, and what exactly it was that they did, but she seemed alright with talking about the Planet and taking care of it. Some of Barret’s teachings were making an impression on her, and the bartender wasn’t exactly sure how she felt about it.

The TV flickered as the power surged, causing the electricity to dim the lights and suddenly brighten again. The backup Mako reserves were kicking in from other sectors compensating for the loss of Sector 1’s power source. She could hear people outside chattering loudly over the explosion, worried about whether they’d still have jobs in the morning, or whether the people they knew were killed.

The louder the people shouted outside, the louder Tifa got in washing the dishes and trying to block out all the noise that sent pangs of pain into her heart. She didn’t even want to hurt innocent people, and somehow, she got roped into this. Despite not being directly involved with the bombing, she couldn’t help but feel responsible for tearing apart families and affecting those who were just trying to survive. 

Suddenly, the front doors to the bar swung open and Tifa popped her head up to see Avalanche walking through with grins on their faces, and soot covering their clothes. Zack and Barret led the way, their eyes shining as if they were pleased with themselves. 

Jessie, however, appeared bothered by something which was uncharacteristic of her. Tifa wondered if something happened, and was interrupted by Zack who asked her to pour some rounds for the gang. She obliged, pulling out the glasses and pouring cold beer into them. 

Then, Tifa walked around the bar with a tray laden with beer and handed them out to Avalanche. The men all cheered each other, and patted each other on the back for a mission accomplished. She spotted Jessie separating herself from the group to sit at the bar top. 

“Hey, is everything OK?” Tifa asked. “You seem a bit down.”

“I’m thinking about tonight,” Jessie said. “Something was off.”

“What do you mean? Didn’t your bombs work like you thought they would?” Tifa asked casually, while pouring some whiskey into a glass for her friend. The elder girl looked at Tifa and smiled briefly. “I thought that’s the point.”

Jessie thanked Tifa quietly for the drink and sipped it. “It is, but...I don’t know what happened, but the calculations I thought were perfect. I didn’t use  _ that  _ much of the compound to make it that powerful. It was only meant to destroy the core and shut it down...not completely decimate everything around it.”

Tifa felt confused. “So...that wasn’t supposed to happen?”

“No. The blast at least, wasn’t meant to be that big,” Jessie said, shaking her head and swinging her ponytail. “I might be overthinking it, but it’s bothering me a lot.”

The two women looked over at the group of Avalanche members who were cheering each other, though it gave Tifa mixed feelings and apparently bothered Jessie enough to question whether she messed up somewhere in her calculations and for creating something a lot more powerful. 

“Well, I’m sure everyone makes mistakes,” Tifa said lightly, though her heart wasn’t really into the bombings. She wished there were other ways to make their voices heard without the collateral damage. “You won’t make it again.”

“You’re right,” Jessie nodded. “Thanks Tifa.”

Despite this, the woman seemed more transfixed with her drink and rejoined the rest of the group while Tifa kept wiping down the counter with a rag. Marlene, hearing the commotion, came running downstairs to greet Barret. He immediately swept her up and placed her onto one of his massive shoulders. 

“Have you been a good girl?” Barret boomed, while Marlene laughed. The little girl gave her daddy a hug around his neck while he gave her a peck on the cheek. 

“Your whiskers hurt, Daddy!”

“Sorry there, Marlene,” Barret answered. His eyes locked with Tifa’s. “Did you have fun tonight?”

“Yeah! I helped Tifa,” Marlene responded cheerfully, prompting the bartender to giggle. 

“Oh you did, did you?” Her father said casually. He acknowledged Tifa with a nod. “Thanks for keeping an eye on Marlene while we were gone.”

“No problem,” Tifa answered quietly. Barret then turned his attention back to his daughter. The two conversed as Barret carried Marlene upstairs to be tucked into bed. 

Zack immediately sprang up and walked toward Tifa with an empty glass. She immediately filled it with more liquor as he thanked her. The two were lost in their thoughts. The bartender tried to keep her heart from racing and kept her mouth shut, but then Zack cut through her worries. 

“I saw Cloud tonight.”

Tifa closed her eyes. “You did.”

“He knows that I’m alive, and he tried to stop us,” Zack said quietly, peering down into his glass. He swirled the amber liquid around, his eyes glaring deep within. “I just never thought this would be how I’d see him again. Standing on either side of the river.”

Silently Tifa poured herself a drink and joined Zack. She sat down next to him and took a swig. Zack looked amused. “Didn’t expect you to be much of a drinker, Tifa.”

“I’m not usually...but tonight, I just couldn’t shake the feeling that something was going to happen,” Tifa said looking at him. “I’m just glad everyone made it back.”

“I’m sorry, Tifa...for dragging you into this,” Zack said, shaking his head. “I didn’t think you’d be involved, but we’re far too deep to get out now.” He laughed ruefully. “I never thought I’d be the one leading a terrorist group to make Shinra bend over...but here we are.”

“Here we are.”

Tifa looked at Zack, her eyes were watering. “Did you---”

“No, I didn’t kill him,” he answered. “Cloud’s fine. We left after setting the bomb. I was surprised, but I don’t think Cloud really expected me. He was holding himself back. Otherwise, most people up against SOLDIERs would be beaten within a second. It was far too easy.”

The bartender breathed a sigh of relief. “But, what’s going to happen now? Doesn’t this mean that Cloud’s going to be looking for you?”

“I don’t think that’s the main priority he’ll have, especially since the reactor blew up,” Zack said. “But, I know that means everyone in the slums will be under major scrutiny even more than usual. So, we’ll just have to be more careful and keep our heads down.”

Tifa nodded reluctantly. 

“But, let me ask you this Tifa,” Zack said, eyeing his drink. “Would you sacrifice everything for the greater good? Even if it means giving up things that mattered the most to you?”

“I don’t follow.”

“If doing something meant that in the end, everyone benefits but you’d be losing a part of yourself and what you stand for means nothing,” Zack said quietly. “I don’t know, something that Cloud said to me back at the reactor hit me a certain way, and it made me do some thinking.”

Tifa silently sipped her whiskey, noting the burning sensation that warmed her insides like a bonfire, her ruby eyes intensely staring into her drink as if there would be answers secretly waiting for her. 

“I know we need to think big, if we’re going to make a difference,” Tifa said. “But not like this...I just…feel trapped.”

Zack paused and looked at her almost apologetically. “I know things don’t make sense right now, but it’ll slowly come back to you. I promise.”

Suddenly, Tifa grunted in pain as her eyes watered and her head felt like it was splitting open. Flashes of something that her heart buried years ago seemed to resurface.  _ There was a water tower...and the stars in the sky were gorgeous and glimmering lightyears away.... A girl wearing a blue dress sat on the edge of a wooden platform next to a boy with his blonde hair tied back into a ponytail.  _

“Tifa!”

The bartender opened her eyes and saw that Zack was looming over her protectively, his eyes glowing with concern. “Are you OK?”

“I-I’m fine,” Tifa said, shaking her head. She found herself lying on the floor, her drink splattered on the ground with shards of glass scattered about. The other Avalanche members brought out a broom to sweep up the mess, and Wedge brought out the first aid kit. 

“Careful, Tifa! You got cut,” Wedge said with a frown. He pointed to her forearm, which had an embedded piece of glass that caused it to bleed. Tifa winced. “Don’t worry, Dr. Wedge is on the case!”

While Wedge carefully treated her, Tifa found herself worried about the extreme headaches she had been getting over the last several weeks. Yet, she didn’t want to worry her friends and so shook her head. “I’m fine, really. Thanks Wedge.”

After getting bandaged, Tifa slowly rose from the floor with Zack’s help. He seemed concerned about her wellbeing, and while she was thankful for the support, she felt a bit embarrassed that so many were hovering over her about needing some rest. 

“Do you need someone to walk you home?” Zack asked. He frowned. “It’s no trouble.”

“I’m fine, really,” Tifa said. “I don’t think I have a concussion, at least. I might just take tomorrow off and get some rest, if that’s OK with you.”

“Sure, whatever you need,” Zack nodded. “Well, text me when you get home.”

“Will do.”

Tifa waved at everyone with her uninjured arm and headed out the door, her eyes watering at the pain she felt in her head and in her arm. This wasn’t exactly the way she expected to end her shift, but at least she didn’t get a head injury from what Zack said. 

“What about what he said triggered my headaches like that?” Tifa asked herself, worried. “He said ‘promise’ and all of a sudden, it was like I started getting hit with these feelings and visions. I don’t even know if they were memories or not. None of it seemed familiar to me.”

The bartender kept walking, her eyes focused on getting back to Stargazer Heights. Once she did, she realized that her bandage was getting soaked with red blood again, making her sigh and wonder if she needed stitches or something of the sort. 

Just as she was about to unlock her apartment door, she heard a scuffling noise behind her and gasped at the sight of Cloud who appeared wounded and exhausted, leaning up against the railing with his eyes glazed with pain. He seemed out of breath, and his face was covered in soot. 

“Cloud!”

“Hey, Tifa.”

“Oh, Cloud...are you OK?”

“Never better.”

The SOLDIER winced and then fell to his knees. Tifa immediately knelt down and tried to help him up without injuring herself further. “You’re gonna be OK, let’s get you inside.”

The bartender threw one of the man’s arms around her shoulders so that she could support him and walk him inside her apartment unit, despite the searing pain she experienced while doing so in her forearm. Cloud groaned and gripped his forehead. 

“You’re getting those headaches again, aren’t you?” Tifa asked in a frightened voice. “I had them too.”

Cloud didn’t answer, except by shaking his head. Once the two entered Tifa’s apartment, she let him lay down in her bed while she sat in a chair next to it. 

“Do you need anything?” Tifa asked. “I can grab you some water.”

“Yeah, if you don’t mind.”

Tifa nodded and went over to the sink in her bathroom and poured a small glass of water for Cloud. She brought it back over to him and held it out for him to drink. He said thank you and started gulping it down, coughing some back up in the process. 

“Slow down,” Tifa warned. “You’ll hurt yourself more than you already are.”

“I’m fine...really.”

Tifa shook her head and noted the large bloody stain on his shoulder. “Do you mind?”

“No.”

Cloud slowly helped Tifa remove his shirt, and Tifa cringed at the sight. Despite it looking rather gruesome, she noted that it was healing slowly. 

“How did you get away with just that much of a hit?” She asked in amazement. “That explosion looked pretty bad on television.”

“How did you know I was at the reactor?” Cloud asked curiously. “I never brought it up.”

“The news, and I figured with the way you looked,” Tifa said quickly, trying to hide where she sourced her inquiries. “No worries.”

“Right…”

Tifa brought out her own first aid kit and started applying some ointment onto Cloud’s injury. He shook his head. “Here, try this.”

Cloud handed Tifa a small green orb and her eyes grew. “W-What’s that?”

“Materia,” he answered simply. “You have seen one before, right?”

“Right...just didn’t occur to me that you’d have some on hand,” Tifa said, shaking her head. “I guess Shinra really does equip you pretty well, don’t they?”

Tifa placed the orb into one of the slots of her gloves, and it glowed brilliant green. She concentrated, feeling the knowledge of the Ancients swirling around in her head like whispers. She rarely ever used Materia, believing she wouldn’t be strong enough to wield it. But, she ended up surprising herself. 

She gently placed her hand on Cloud’s wound, causing him to grunt painfully for a moment, before the magic started sealing up the wound. Soon, nothing was there. 

“Thanks,” Cloud said. “You’re pretty good at using that thing. You sure you’ve never used it before?”

“I don’t think so, not for a long time anyway,” Tifa said, shaking her head. She removed the orb and tried to give it back to Cloud who immediately shook his head. 

“Why don’t you hang onto it? Seems like you could use some,” He said, eyeing the bandaged forearm. Tifa blushed pink. “Might speed things up a bit.”

“Right…”

Tifa reinserted the Materia and cast a healing spell onto her arm and immediately felt warmth radiating from it. She soon removed the bandage and found it completely healed. 

“I could get used to this,” She said. “I don’t know how I got by without magic.”

“You’re telling me,” Cloud answered. “It’s one of the few good things created. But, I don’t know. It’s not exactly something that should be messed around with either.”

There was a long pause. 

“I saw Zack tonight.”

Tifa felt her heart racing, and anxiety twisting in her stomach. She hated lying, and that was the last thing she wanted Cloud to bring up with her. She couldn’t exactly tell him that she was a part of Avalanche. He’d kill her. Just like he almost attempted to kill his best friend back at the reactor. 

“Oh? Really? What was he doing there?” Tifa asked as calmly as she could. “I’m surprised, I thought he was on the run or something like that. Even dead.”

“He’s a part of the terrorist group,” Cloud replied shortly. “I was just...I don’t know. I didn’t want to kill him. I couldn’t find it in my heart to kill him. I basically let them get away, and because I held myself back...a lot of innocent people got hurt or killed today in the explosion.”

Tifa quietly leaned up against the back of her chair, her eyes focused on the spot where she healed Cloud. “I see. I’m surprised Zack would do such a thing.”

“Yeah,” Cloud shook his head. “Makes me wonder if I really ever knew him at all.”

“People can surprise you,” Tifa answered. “Sometimes, you think you know them but in the end, their true selves come out when you least expect it. I feel like, a lot of people don’t show their true colors or their true selves unless there’s something hanging in the balance.”

“You’re pretty philosophical,” Cloud teased, though not unkindly. “I guess that’s why you’re always trying to see the best in people? Even your enemies?”

Tifa silently nodded. “There are bad people in this world, but no one was born evil. There’s always something that causes people to choose the path they’re destined for and how they choose to respond to it. There’s always a choice. That’s what makes people who they are.”

“I see,” Cloud said. “So, if I told you that I almost tried killing him, you’d think of me as the bad guy?”

“No,” Tifa said. “You decided to hold yourself back, and that’s a choice. You still care for him as a friend, and that is a choice you made. You’re not a killer. You’re flawed, sure...but not evil.”

Cloud gazed into Tifa’s eyes, and Tifa felt her face flush. There was always something familiar about Cloud’s eyes that made her feel safe, despite his callousness at times that made her frightened. She wished there was more she could understand about him, but there was always a level of distance that he seemed to place on them. 

Sometimes, she wondered if the growing attraction she had towards him meant that he was aware and was trying to put the brakes on them before something happened between the both of them. 

“Um...you should probably put your shirt back on,” Tifa said, suddenly and handed him his uniform, which Cloud hesitated for a moment before taking it back. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to just be...I don’t know.”

“You’ve got a way with words,” Cloud said amused. “But, thanks for helping me out. I’m glad we’re neighbors.”

“Right...neighbors.”

Tifa nodded and sighed in relief that he didn’t seem to catch on how she was starting to fall for him. There were a lot of things that she didn’t know about Cloud, and one of those things included whether he was interested in her too. 

“Oh...by the way,” Cloud said quietly. He rose from the bed and turned to face Tifa. “I was wondering. If you’ve got some time off, maybe you and I could…”

There was a long pause, and Tifa felt herself blushing redder.  _ Was Cloud asking her out? _

“We could…?” She asked. 

“You know, go hit the town,” Cloud said quickly. 

Tifa started screaming internally from excitement, but she tried to keep a calm demeanor.  _ Don’t scare him off, you dumbass.  _

“Why not? It’ll be fun,” Tifa said with a grin. “We can get dressed up.”

“Do you even have fancy clothes?” Cloud asked, frowning slightly. 

“Not  _ fancy  _ fancy, but I’ll figure something out,” Tifa answered brightly. “What do you think would suit me, huh?”

She teasingly placed her hands on her hips with a smile. Cloud appeared deep in thought before he answered, 

“Something refined.”

“Yeah, I guess we’re not kids anymore,” Tifa said with an embarrassed laugh. “Be sure to pick an outfit that goes with mine, OK?”

Cloud nodded in agreement. “Will do.”

“This’ll be so much fun, you’ll see,” Tifa said, nodding happily. 

“Yeah...maybe.”

The SOLDIER turned, but Tifa could see a small smile from the corner of his lips before he headed out the door. 


	8. What He Thought

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a reverse perspective from Cloud on the previous chapter that was through Tifa's POV.

_ Several hours before... _

Stumbling out onto the streets of Sector 1, Cloud cringed at the oozing wound in his shoulder. He’d need medical attention and remove the embedded material. He tore at the fabric and saw a deep bloody mess that started oozing down his arm. 

Cloud sighed. At least it avoided any major arteries and appeared superficial. But, it sure hurt like a bitch. 

“So he’s alive,” Cloud told himself. “He’s one of them.”

When Tseng said there were suspicions that Zack was alive, he held out hope that perhaps he’d be coming back to take responsibility for deserting Shinra. That his mentor and friend would be back to take his rightful place. At times, Cloud never felt fully ready to take on the role, and now, he felt even less certain about how things were. 

Now, they’re standing on either side of the river. Cloud never thought that he’d be seeing Zack as an enemy, and personally felt betrayed by the desertion. His best friend, now fighting against him and everything that he had once stood for. 

There were numerous people out on the streets, stumbling about and looking terrified at what just happened as the reactor left debris scattered and piled around the plate. People were screaming out names of loved ones who got separated during the chaos, and some were openly weeping as emergency crews were excavating the rubble to search for survivors. 

Cloud watched as some ambulance teams covered up dead bodies with a white cloth as they were moving injured people into vehicles and being whisked away for treatment. He just couldn’t understand why Avalanche would be willing to stoop low and kill those who weren’t responsible for violating their beliefs and agenda. He just could never really understand it. 

Nor did he want to. 

“Cloud!” A voice called out to him. 

He turned and saw Aerith running towards him, a flower basket swinging from her arm. Cloud felt relieved seeing a friendly face amid the chaos as she reached him. 

“Thank god you’re alive!” She said breathlessly. “What happened? What’s going on?”

“Avalanche did this,” Cloud growled. He then ruffled his hair. “Tseng is really gonna have my head on a plate when I see him next.”

“Are you telling me everything?” Aerith asked worriedly. “Did...something happen there?”

“Kind of hurt at the moment,” Cloud said annoyed. “Do you have any Restore Materia on you?”

“Here.”

Aerith clasped her hands together, and closed her eyes, almost as if she was praying. She then gently moved her hands on top of Cloud’s wound, which healed almost completely. However, there was still the piece of embedded shrapnel in his shoulder blade. 

“You’re going to need to take it easy for a while,” Aerith said. “I got rid of most of the injury, but my magic’s spent.”

“On what?”

“Them.”

Aerith motioned to the group of people who were bloodied, yet moving about as if they weren’t hurt. “I tried to heal as many as I could, but you know how everyone gets when you approach them as a stranger and they think you’re going to stab them or something.”

Cloud groaned. “I guess you’re right.” He twitched as he touched the piece of metal that jutted out of his shoulder. That was going to hurt. 

“But, hang onto the Materia,” Aerith said while handing him the orb. “You might get enough of your strength back later to finish the job. I’ve got to get going before Mom freaks out.”

“Just be careful,” Cloud warned her, to which the flower girl winked. “Don’t do something stupid.”

“Relax, nothing’s gonna hurt you while I’m around,” Aerith said with a wave. “I promise!”

Suddenly, Cloud’s head started splitting in pain from a massive headache that started causing his skull to throb. 

“Cloud!”

_ He started seeing flashes of a water tower, a little girl in a blue dress and a boy in a ponytail sitting underneath a heavenly host of stars in the middle of a village.  _

_ “When you become a famous SOLDIER, whenever I’m trapped or in trouble, promise you’ll come save me.” _

_ “Huh?” _

_ “That’s what heroes do, they save people. Please just once?” _

_ “Uh…” _

_ “C’mon! Promise me!” _

_ “Fine. I promise.” _

“Cloud!”

The SOLDIER opened his eyes and found Aerith’s green eyes staring at his mako-blue ones. “You OK?”

“I’m fine,” Cloud said, shaking it off. He started walking away before Aerith cut him off. 

“You sure?” She asked, her long plaited ponytail swinging. “You always get this really weird look on your face. Mind telling me what’s on your mind?”

“Like I said, it’s nothing,” Cloud answered coldly. “I’m gonna go home and get some rest. I’ll see you soon, OK? Text me and let me know when you made it home. Don’t go taking any shortcuts that we haven’t discussed before, alright?”

“You’re moody,” Aerith huffed. “Fine. But, listen here Cloud Strife, I’m not a princess that needs saving.”

Suddenly, a large boom off in the distance frightened Aerith and she immediately ducked behind Cloud who rolled his eyes at her. 

“Shit,” Aerith muttered to herself, prompting Cloud to look on in amusement. 

“What? Doesn’t mean I can’t get scared sometimes,” the girl in pink laughed nervously. “OK, well I’m heading home now. I’ll see you later, OK?”

\---

Cloud shuffled his feet getting home to Stargazer Heights, but he didn’t realize how exhausted his body felt after dealing with the events of what occurred within the last several hours. 

He cringed at the stinging sensation in his shoulder and gritted his teeth. Before heading up the stairs, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath before pulling the piece of metal out of his shoulder and blood poured from the release. 

“SHIT!”

The SOLDIER breathed raggedly as the blood soaked his shirt. He touched it, and gritted at the stabbing pain that almost seemed to have a pulse of its own. 

“Shit…” Cloud breathed again. His hands shook as he tried to heal his shoulder with the Materia that Aerith gave him but immediately balked at the immense pain that left him too injured to try and heal it himself. He wasn’t sure there was anyone nearby that would be capable of using magic to try and heal it.

Cloud felt himself pale as he made the effort to go up the stairs, and found that a young woman was standing outside of the unit next to his. It was Tifa. 

At first, he wasn’t sure if it’d be in poor taste to try and get Tifa to do some healing, but he was running out of options and he didn’t have any potions or elixirs to do the job for him. He didn’t want to startle her, but his sluggish movement and scuffling prompted the bartender to look behind her in shock. 

“Cloud!” 

“Hey, Tifa.”

“Oh, Cloud...are you OK?”

Cloud bared his teeth to reveal a small grin, but it was mostly to try and mask the amount of discomfort he was experiencing. “Never better.”

Feeling himself losing energy, he winced and then collapsed onto his knees. He instantly felt helpless and that was one of the worst feelings he ever had. The last thing he wanted to appear was being weak in front of someone else. Especially when one of those people was Tifa Lockhart. 

Immediately, Tifa knelt down in front of him, and tried to assist him. Cloud noticed the wrapped forearm stained in blood and felt himself grow concerned for her. He tried to say something to the effect of “don’t worry about me,” but the bartender seemed focused on helping him regardless of her own condition.

“You’re gonna be OK,” she said soothingly. “Let’s get you inside.”

Tifa threw one of his arms around her shoulders as she also supported him around the waist. She helped him walk inside her apartment. She appeared to flinch every so often, which made Cloud feel worse about her taking the brunt of the injuries she experienced. 

Suddenly, Cloud felt his head split again from another headache and groaned. He slowly reached for his forehead, hoping to cut off the throbbing pain and at least dull it. 

“You’re getting those headaches again, aren’t you?” Tifa asked worriedly. “I had them too.”

He wanted to answer, but he couldn’t use his voice right then and there. So, he shook his head instead. Once they entered Tifa’s apartment, she motioned for him to lay down on top of her bed while she took a seat on a chair resting beside it. 

“Do you need anything?” Tifa asked. “I can grab you some water.”

“Yeah, if you don’t mind,” Cloud responded slowly. 

The bartender nodded and walked over to the sink in her bathroom and Cloud could hear the sounds of running water filling up a glass. He watched her from behind, noting her graceful movement despite the injury she sustained from earlier. He wondered how exactly she got hurt. 

Just as he thought about it, Tifa turned around and brought the glass of water back to him, and held it out. He took it, said his thanks and started drinking it, though the sudden introduction to something cold caused him to sputter and cough up some water.

“Slow down,” Tifa said sternly. “You’ll hurt yourself more than you already are.”

“I’m fine...really,” Cloud said, embarrassed. He felt heat rise to his face, though he hoped that Tifa would be oblivious to this and instead tried to appear more in control of the situation. 

Tifa shook her head and looked at his shoulder injury. “Do you mind?”

Cloud blushed red and tried to conceal his anxiousness at what she was going to do. “No.”

Without much hesitation, Tifa slowly lifted the bottom of his shirt. Cloud winced at the dried cloth sticking to his wound and he then assisted her with removing it. She cringed at the sight of it, though Cloud knew in his mind that the injury probably looked worse to her. He felt himself slowly recover, knowing his Mako-infused genes were refusing to let him stay wounded. 

“How did you get away with just that much of a hit?” Tifa asked curiously. “That explosion looked pretty bad on television.”

Cloud felt himself grow curious at this observation. “How did you know I was at the reactor? I never brought it up.”

“The news, and I figured with the way you looked,” Tifa said rather quickly, as if she said something she wasn’t supposed to. “No worries.”

Cloud grew suspicious, but didn’t question her further. “Right.”

Tifa stood up and opened a drawer in her desk. After shuffling around a few items in there, she pulled out a first aid kit and started rummaging through it. Cloud noted the intense look in her garnet eyes, and it caused warmth to spread throughout his body. 

_ She really does look worried,  _ Cloud thought to himself.  _ I’m a real piece of work...making her worry.  _

Just as Tifa was about to apply some ointment onto his shoulder, Cloud shook his head. “Here, try this.”

The SOLDIER held out the Restore Materia that Aerith gave him earlier, prompting the woman to widen her eyes. “W-What’s that?”

“Materia,” he answered. “You have seen one before, right?”

There was a slight pause, as if Tifa was recollecting something. But she appeared to return to her usual calm and reserved demeanor. 

“Right,” she said. “Just didn’t occur to me that you’d have some on hand.” She shook her head. “I guess Shinra really does equip you pretty well, don’t they?”

Cloud looked down at himself, feeling conflicted about what just happened in the reactor. He wondered about how much he’d be able to confide in Tifa, but he knew that he’d be dragging her into a world that she didn’t need to be a part of. The more he got involved, the less he wanted to stay there. 

Tifa placed the Materia into one of her glove slots and it glowed a majestic green. With focus, she placed a hand on his shoulder wound. At first, Cloud hissed. But, a pleasant warmth started spreading within himself and soon, the injury was gone and he felt like himself again. 

“Thanks,” he said, examining her handy work. “You’re pretty good at using that thing. You sure you’ve never used it before?”

“I don’t think so, not for a long time anyway,” Tifa said, shaking her head. She tried to give Cloud the orb, but he felt that she should at least keep some Materia for herself in case she ever needed it. 

“Why don’t you hang onto it?” He asked, shaking his head in refusal. “Seems like you could use some.” Cloud’s mako blue eyes fell upon her injured forearm. Tifa blushed. “Might speed things up a bit.”

“Right…”

Cloud watched her as she cast a healing spell on herself and the look of relief spread over her face. She removed the bandage, revealing an injureless arm. 

Tifa seemed amused with herself. “I could get used to this. I don’t know how I got by without magic.”

“You’re telling me,” he answered. “It’s one of the few good things created. But, I don’t know. It’s not exactly something that should be messed around with either.”

Cloud sat on the bed, looking down at Tifa’s plaid pink comforter. He felt uncomfortable bringing it up, but he knew that it was something that probably would be of importance to her. 

“I saw Zack tonight.”

He waited to see if there’d be something amiss in what he told her, but was surprised that she maintained a calm appearance. Cloud waited to see if there’d be a flicker of emotion somewhere, but couldn’t see anything that would constitute surprise or confusion. 

“Oh? Really? What was he doing there?” Tifa asked. She started putting away the first-aid kit and throwing out her bandage. “I’m surprised, I thought he was on the run or something like that. Even dead.”

Cloud gritted his teeth and looked down at his hands, which he then clenched together tightly. “He’s a part of the terrorist group. I was just...I don’t know. I didn’t want to kill him. I couldn’t find it in my heart to kill him. I basically let them get away, and because I held myself back...a lot of innocent people got hurt or killed today in the explosion.”

He sighed. Tifa leaned against the back of her chair silently, and her eyes seemed to be focused on something. He couldn’t tell what she was thinking, but he knew that she was processing things. 

“I see,” she said. “I’m surprised Zack would do such a thing.”

_ So, she understands,  _ Cloud thought to himself.  _ It’s not that easy of an issue to assign blame.  _

“Yeah,” he said, shaking his head. “Makes me wonder if I really ever knew him at all.”

“People can surprise you,” she said, surprising him. “Sometimes, you think you know them, but in the end, their true selves come out when you least expect it. I feel like a lot of people don’t show their true colors or their true selves unless there’s something hanging in the balance.”

Cloud couldn’t help but chuckle at this. Tifa had tried to remain neutral, but he knew deep down she had a big heart for those who were suffering. She just didn’t want to contribute anymore to those already affected. 

“You’re pretty philosophical,” he teased lightly. “I guess that’s why you’re always trying to see the best in people? Even your enemies?”

Tifa nodded. “There are bad people in this world, but no one was born evil,” she said. “There’s always something that causes people to choose the path they’re destined for and how they choose to respond to it. There’s always a choice. That’s what makes people who they are.”

“I see,” Cloud said. He frowned. “So, if I told you that I almost tried killing him, you’d think of me as a bad guy?”

He braced himself for an answer, but was instead surprised with what Tifa had to say. 

“No,” she replied. “You decided to hold yourself back, and that’s a choice. You still care for him as a friend, and that is a choice you made. You’re not a killer. You’re flawed, sure...but not evil.”

Cloud stared deeply into Tifa’s eyes, wanting to look into her mind and know what she was thinking about. He saw a slight blush appearing on her cheeks. There was something familiar about her gaze, that look of  _ hope _ , that made him want to stop for a brief moment and just see the world the way she saw it. 

Yet, he felt something close to her but something was continuing to drive them apart. He wanted nothing more than to close that distance, but it was something as if there were forces at play that continued to keep them on other sides of a raging river. 

Cloud felt his heart yearning to be closer to Tifa, but he didn’t want to go down that route. Not with so much at stake and for potentially putting her in danger. That was not something he wanted weighing on his conscience. He just wanted her to live out her life in peace. Even if it meant, not letting himself have her. 

“Um...you should probably put your shirt back on,” Tifa said suddenly, cutting through the silence. She handed him his uniform, which he looked at for a second. Cloud reached for it and put it back on. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to just be...I don’t know.”

_ She does that a lot,  _ Cloud thought.  _ It’s kind of cute.  _

“You’ve got a way with words,” he said aloud. “But, thanks for helping me out. I’m glad we’re neighbors.”

There seemed to be something emerging from the depths of her eyes, and Cloud caught it for the briefest moment.  _ Relief? Shyness?  _ Cloud guessed.  _ She seems nervous about something...wonder what? _

Cloud rose from the bed and started gathering his things again. He wanted to know more about Tifa, but there just seemed to be so many signs that told him not to pursue anything. Yet, he couldn’t resist the allure she had, and the comfort and security he felt himself whenever he was around her. 

That was something different he felt. Never before had he felt a certain amount of peace around someone. It was a comfort that he never had before, and it was a comfort he didn’t want to lose. 

“Oh...by the way,” he said, before stopping himself. “I was wondering. If you’ve got some time off, maybe you and I could…”

Cloud felt himself blush and he tried to stop himself. But it was too late. It was already out there. Tifa blushed a deep read. He felt so stupid standing there, expecting her to read his mind. He realized what he was doing, and there was no turning back now. 

_ I asked her out _ , Cloud thought.  _ Shit.  _

“We could…?” She asked quietly. 

_ Well, you’re already in deep,  _ Cloud thought.  _ Might as well take the full dive now.  _

“You know, go hit the town,” he said as quickly as he could. 

He anxiously observed her face, wondering if she was disgusted or confused about his proposal. Yet, she seemed pretty even-keeled. 

What felt like eternity, Tifa finally smiled. “Why not? It’ll be fun. We can get dressed up.”

Cloud wanted to celebrate, but immediately frowned. He didn’t  _ own  _ any fancy clothes. Great. 

“Do you even have fancy clothes?” he asked. He didn’t want to disappoint Tifa on their first outing together, and he’d put in the most amount of effort if he could.

“Not  _ fancy,  _ fancy, but I’ll figure something out,” Tifa said brightly. She took several steps back. “What do you think would suit me, huh?” She placed her hands on her hips, as if she wanted him to take a good look of her. 

Tifa’s long hair swung in its dolphin-tail style and her red eyes glimmered in excitement. Her smile was contagious, and made him even smile briefly. He felt himself wanting nothing more to just reach out to her and even hold her. That was when Cloud knew...he was falling for her. 

“Something refined,” he finally said. Tifa looked embarrassed, and Cloud thought he said something wrong before she chuckled softly. 

“Yeah, I guess we’re not kids anymore,” she said. The bartender then looked him up and down. “Be sure to pick an outfit that goes with mine, OK?”

Normally, couples would wear matching colors or elements to indicate to the world that they were together. That was something Cloud didn’t expect at first, but he started blushing himself. To think that he was opening himself up to her and feeling  _ nervous  _ about this date, he knew that it was something he’d be willing to try if it meant getting closer to the girl who lived next door. 

He nodded. “Will do.”

Tifa smiled, looking down at her boots. “This’ll be so much fun, you’ll see.”

Cloud turned around to head towards the door, but a smile was creeping onto his face. “Yeah...Maybe.”


	9. Wilting Flowers

Tifa felt herself floating as she worked the next few days. Avalanche members seemed to have caught her change in demeanor, as she would brightly interact with customers and almost cheerily waved off the drunks who she’d otherwise throw out in a snap. 

No longer did Tifa start dreading the feeling of going to work and overhearing plans for another bombing run, or Avalanche plans to get back at Shinra. She was instead, given a small bright spot of just focusing on what was happening in her life precisely at that moment. 

Ever since Cloud asked and agreed to go out with her, Tifa wanted nothing more than to impress him and to explore this budding relationship. Even if it was just an outing, it gave her a chance to get to know the SOLDIER with the cold exterior, but a warm heart. 

Yet, she didn’t want to reveal to Avalanche that she was falling for “the enemy.” There’d be no way that’d fly with the rest of the group. Let alone Zack, who’d be the first to shoot this potential romance down. But deep down, Tifa didn’t really care. She was starting to find herself thinking about Cloud more and more each day, and through the small interactions they did have while passing by each other at Stargazer Heights, there seemed to be something pleasant that was growing between them. 

Almost as if, they were intentionally trying to sneak glances at each other, no matter how brief. More than once, Tifa’s eyes would lock with his, and she’d see a faint smile on his usually stoic and aloof face. It was a rare smile that made it feel that much more special to her. 

_ I wonder...if he smiles at anyone else?  _ Tifa thought to herself.  _ Look at me getting flustered about some guy I just met. _

But it was that feeling of familiarity and comfort that she felt around Cloud that drew her to him. Even if they just met a few weeks ago, she almost felt as if she knew him for much longer. 

From Zack’s perspective, she and Cloud apparently knew each other from Nibelheim, but she wasn’t sure how much of that was true. She never recalled living anywhere outside of Midgar, and yet, she was frightened that there was a past that must’ve been traumatic enough to be blocked from her memories. 

Whether she wanted to recall them, was a different story. So after that conversation, Tifa desperately tried to keep away from it, not wanting to remember what possibly happened all those years ago before she was released from the hospital only a short while ago. 

_ I wonder if the headaches have anything to do with it?  _ Tifa thought to herself. She started stacking the wine glasses up into the cabinets to keep them clean and stored away.  _ I’m just overreacting. Maybe, it’s nothing. Could be from when I got hurt in the first place.  _

Tifa subconsciously touched her chest where she knew the scar existed. No matter how hard she was trying to recall how she got it, she couldn’t remember. Nor, did she want to know the details. Would knowing the past change anything about her present or future? That much, the bartender knew and didn’t want to change. 

_ Maybe, some things should be left in the past,  _ Tifa thought silently.  _ If I don’t remember it, maybe it wouldn’t hurt me or anyone else. Cloud doesn’t seem to remember anything either. How can that be a bad thing?  _

“Hey, Tifa?”

Tifa turned her head and saw that Zack was sitting at the bartop. “Oh, hey.” 

“Listen...are you...still talking to Cloud?” He asked quietly. Tifa blushed and tried to keep her reactions minimal. Yet, she knew that he probably figured out what was happening. 

“Yeah. We’re neighbors,” Tifa said calmly. “Though, it’s really none of your business.”

“I know, but you have to remember who he works for,” Zack replied curtly. “I know it’s hard, but this thing...you have to be extra careful. He might suspect something and turn it against you.”

Tifa slammed her fists down, causing Zack to look at her in surprise. “I know you guys have a history,” Tifa said. “But whatever it is, keep it between the two of you. It doesn’t concern me.”

Zack’s eyes glowed, but his face softened. “You’re starting to fall for him...aren’t you?”

“Again, that’s pretty personal,” Tifa said annoyed. “How would you feel if I asked you the same question about Aerith? Which I might remind you...she still has no idea that you’re here, and I’m being forced to lie to her about you.”

The ex-SOLDIER looked down at his hands and sighed. “I guess you got me there.”

“I just can’t believe that two friends would turn on each other like this,” Tifa said harshly. She started stacking plates on top of each other before tucking them away from view underneath the bar. “Especially over something insignificant as SOLDIER. Why join if this is what ultimately happens? Friends turning on friends.”

Tifa was about to say something else, but noted the strained look on Zack’s face. She sighed. “What is it?”

“It must be nice, not remembering anything that happened,” he said. “Meanwhile, I remember everything and it hurts like hell having memories to draw from and you are forced to work against a friend who doesn’t remember anything and turned himself against you. Do you know how that feels?”

“Invalidating,” Tifa answered. “Isolating? I’ve been there before. I don’t know what all happened, but if it doesn’t affect us now, then why go back? Why do I have to remember it? It’s all in the past.”

Zack seemed quiet. Tifa watched him as he slowly reached over and placed a hand on top of hers, prompting her to stop. Tifa’s eyes widened and she looked up at him, and found the expression on his face to be a mix of pain and anger. She felt herself slowly back away. 

“I know what I’m saying seems to be really weird and doesn’t make any sense, but you have got to try and remember your past,” Zack said. “At least...for your sake and Cloud’s. You both have a connection that can’t be forgotten that easily. So, please...try thinking about it. You have got to remember.”

\---

Tifa walked slowly down the streets, watching happy couples walk by with their children. She felt a pang of sadness, and she wondered how long ago it had been since she had a family. Whatever happened to her parents? She had parents once before...right?

_ They seem so happy,  _ Tifa thought to herself.  _ It must be nice...having memories to remember from. Things to rely on when time gets tough. You can escape reality. What happens though, if you don’t have any memories? What do you do then? _

“You seem deep in thought.”

Tifa lifted her head and found Aerith smiling back at her. The bartender smiled. “It’s you, Aerith.”

“It’s been a while,” Aerith said, faking a pout. “Did you forget about me?”   
“I could never,” Tifa answered lightly. She then frowned. “I’m surprised to see you down below the plate. I thought you had some flowers to sell?”

“Today, I’m visiting the children at the Leaf House,” Aerith answered simply. “I’ll be bringing over flowers there later, so I thought I’d swing by and see how you were doing.”

The two women walked side by side, both observing the crowds of people journeying through the slums. The hustle and bustle made Tifa anxious slightly, but Aerith seemed completely at ease with walking through the area without a single thought or concern. 

_ She’s so confident,  _ Tifa thought to herself.  _ I admire that about her. _

“Soo, how are  _ things?”  _ Aerith asked in a cheerful voice. Tifa felt confused, and stared at the elder girl. She cocked her head. 

“I’m not sure I follow.”

“You know!  _ Things,”  _ Aerith winked, nudging Tifa in the sides. The flower girl then sighed. “Don’t make me spell it out for you. How are you and the brooding, blonde SOLDIER?”

“He isn’t just brooding,” Tifa said in mock outrage, though she started laughing. “Well, he does brood a bit, but I’m sure things will be alright.”    
  
“So, spill! Did he ask you out?” Aerith asked excitedly. “Tell me!”   
“He did,” Tifa said slowly. “We haven’t picked a time or day yet, but yes...he did.”   
“Oh!” Aerith said, clasping her hands together. “He finally had enough nerve to ask you out. You have no idea how happy that makes me.”   
  
Tifa smiled, though she felt strained. There was only so much lying she could take and she wished that she didn’t have to keep Zack a secret from Aerith. More than anything, she desperately wanted to reach out to her and let her know that the man she loved was still around and that he missed her. 

But she wasn’t even allowed to tell her that even, and it broke Tifa’s heart knowing that Aerith and Zack were so close, yet so far apart.    
“Gil for your thoughts?” Aerith asked. “You’ve been spacing out a lot lately.”   
“Well, say you have a friend who is told to keep a secret,” Tifa said, trying to phrase it as vaguely as she could. “But, no matter how much your friend wants to share the secret that could change everything, she was made to promise that she wouldn’t spill it.”   
  
“Well, I guess it would depend on what the secret is,” Aerith said. “I’m guessing you’re the person with the secret?”   
“Um…”   
“Tifa, you’re not really good at lying,” Aerith said with a giggle. “I’m guessing you have a secret you want to tell someone, but you’re not allowed? That it?”   
“Yeah.”

Aerith examined Tifa closely and sighed. “I think I know who you’re not allowed to tell, and a part of me wants to just say screw the promise and just tell her. But, maybe your friend doesn’t really want to know, even if there is a chance that it might change things.”

“Aerith…”

“I know Tifa, you have something you want to tell me, but I can’t know,” Aerith said softly. Her emerald eyes looked downcast. “I can put two and two together. You found out something about Zack, and you can’t tell me.”

“How did you--”   
“I’m good at figuring things out,” Aerith said, looking upwards. “I just have a knack for that sort of thing. That’s all.”   
“Oh, Aerith…”   
“Don’t worry about me, Tifa,” Aerith said quickly. “You were told to make a promise, and honestly, I can kind of figure out what it is you want to tell me, and I can tell you that I’m not mad at you. I’m just….sad about the situation.”   
  
The flower girl held Tifa’s hand in hers, and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I guess, if you can pass along a message, that’d be great.”

“Oh?”   
  
Aerith smiled sadly. “Can you tell him, if you see him...that I understand? I miss him, but, if he has his reasons, then I can’t force something that won’t work. Not unless he wants it too.”

Tifa wanted more than anything to bring Aerith to Zack and to have them work out their problems, but she knew that Aerith seemed to have made up her mind. Once she did, it’s hard to change. Almost impossible. 

“Sure thing,” Tifa said quietly, trying to be casual about it. Though, she felt her heart burst.  _ So, she does know about Zack. Does Zack know that too? _

“Just to answer, no. He doesn’t know,” Aerith interjected. “I’m not a mind reader, but...I figured that’s what’s up.”   
“Aerith…”   
“Really, don’t worry about it Tifa.” The flower girl smiled, but her eyes sparkled with tears. “I’m sure he’s doing what he thinks is best. I wouldn’t lose any sleep over it. Anyways, I’m gonna head home. See you later!”

Tifa felt her stomach writhe as her friend ran off, knowing full well that she was struggling to understand why the first man she ever loved would hurt her this way. The bartender sighed as she started heading back towards Seventh Heaven for the dinner rush.

Everyone seemed to be moving right past her, mindlessly focused on their own lives while she struggled to piece together parts of hers. Everything was simpler when she was just trying to keep herself off the streets and just dance the nights away at the Honeybee Inn. 

Now that she worked at Seventh Heaven, Tifa felt trapped with the burdens of knowing too much and being able to do so very little to change it. She was in too deep with Avalanche, and now, she feels responsible for the deaths of innocent people from the first bombing. Now, she knows there’ll be another and it’ll weigh heavily on her until she drowns underneath the load. 

“Why the long face?”

Tifa looked up and saw Cloud, who looked concerned. She felt her face blush, not wanting him to see her breaking down like this. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?” He looked puzzled. “Why are you apologizing for how you’re feeling? Something bothering you?”   
“There is,” Tifa said, looking down at her boots. “But...I can’t tell you about it.”   
“Why not?” The SOLDIER genuinely looked hurt, but Tifa just couldn’t drag him into her world. No matter how much safer she felt with having him around. “Was it something I did?”

“N-No...no.” Tifa sighed. “It’s not you. Just, a lot of things are happening at work and I’m just feeling super stressed. I just wish I can take my mind off of things. Just for one day.”

“Well,” Cloud said, rubbing the back of his head. “Why don’t we move up our date? Tonight?”   
“Tonight?” Tifa asked, bewildered. “Don’t you have to work?”

  
“Believe it or not, I am allowed to call off every now and then,” Cloud smirked. “They just won’t like it. But, they can deal for now.” Cloud crossed his arms, staring intently at Tifa. “So, tonight then?”

Tifa felt her heart flutter, as if it was coming out of hibernation and awakening to spring. It was exactly the type of distraction she needed and wanted. She didn’t know how Cloud seemed to have this effect on her, but she wasn’t one to question the legitimacy of this budding relationship...if she felt bold enough to call it that. 

“Sure, yeah I’d like that,” she said with a nod. “Come outside of my apartment at 7?”   
“Will do.”

Cloud gave Tifa a gentle pat on the shoulder before walking off. Tifa blushed, knowing that this could show her everything she wanted to know about him, the boy who lived next door. 


	10. Interrupted By Fireworks

_ When Cloud got promoted to SOLDIER First Class, he was surrounded by his superiors applauding this move. He wanted nothing more than to be the perfect warrior for Shinra. It was everything he had worked for, but there was always a feeling of guilt. He knew for certain that if Zack was still around, he’d still be toiling away trying to get into the ranks and getting respect from the rest of the company.  _

_ Sometimes, he wondered if the only reason he became Zack’s replacement was because of his relationship to him. Today was his first day in his new rank. He stood inside the company locker room, adjusting his uniform and examined himself in the mirror. The ranking of SOLDIER First Class.  _

_ Cloud looked down at himself, and wondered what this all meant. It felt as if he didn’t deserve this ranking, and slowly wondered if maybe it was a mistake to accept this promotion, all on a technicality.  _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “Congratulations.” _

_ Cloud spun around, and saw Sephiroth standing off in the corner. “You’ve finally achieved your dream. Isn’t it exactly what you dreamed of?” _

_ “Sephiroth,” Cloud said, adjusting his SOLDIER First Class uniform. “I’m surprised you’re here.” _ _   
_ _ “I wouldn’t miss it,” the long silver-haired commander said. “But, I can sense that this would be a bittersweet moment for you, knowing that Zack is no longer with us.” _ _   
_ _   
_ _ The blonde nodded. “It is, what it is. I’m just wishing he would’ve explained why he deserted the company like that. It’s been...several years since I’ve heard from him.” _

_ “How many years? Five?” Sephiroth asked, leaning up against the wall. “I’ve been looking for him all these years, and I’m giving up hope that he'll ever come back to take responsibility for some of the things he has done.” _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “What do you mean?” Cloud asked. “What...did he do?” _ _   
_ _ “You’ll find out in due time.” Sephiroth then slowly lifted his hand. “But, I wouldn’t get attached to the idea that he was a hero or something. There are things about him that you don’t even know.” _

_ “Sephiroth, seriously,” Cloud said. “When Shinra investigated his bunker, they found all those maps connecting him to a village massacre. I don’t believe it, it’s not Zack. How can you believe in that?” _

_ “Because he’s not who you think he is,” Sephiroth responded stoically. “I just don’t think you should trust everyone that you admire. They might turn on you eventually.” _

_ “Cloud!”  _

_ Cloud looked over and saw that a grunt was waving his gun in the air. “Tseng would like to speak to you...sir.” _ _   
_ _ “I’ll be there,” Cloud said. Surprisingly, the grunt only saluted him before leaving the locker room. “H-Hey! What about--” _

_ “Don’t worry about it,” Sephiroth said, shaking his head. “I don’t care for people to acknowledge me. It’s just a formality, and to be honest, it doesn’t matter anymore.” _

_ He slowly headed out of the locker room before turning back towards Cloud. “Just don’t think about Zack for now. Focus on getting yourself acquainted with your new position and your job. Everything will fall into place...just as planned.” _

_ With that, the silver-haired soldier headed out the door, leaving Cloud to wonder about what was next for him.  _

_ After getting dressed, Cloud headed to Tseng’s office. The door was closed, but Cloud could hear Tseng talking over the phone, and his voice seemed strained. Slowly, the SOLDIER opened the door.  _

_ “I don’t care what Hojo wants,” Tseng said angrily. His back was turned, leaving Cloud to walk in quietly. “Honestly, why are we spending so many resources on trying to locate the girl? She doesn’t know a thing! Just because she walked right out? Or someone helped her? Why worry? She can’t do any harm...This is---” _

_ “Tseng,” Cloud said quietly. Tseng immediately turned. “You needed to see me?” _ _   
_ _ “Hang on, I need to talk to our newest First Class SOLDIER,” Tseng said into the phone. “Again, don’t worry about it. We’ll find her. She couldn’t have gotten far. Right. Well, do something about it if you’re so worried.” _

_ Tseng immediately hung up, and sighed. “Well, sorry about that.” The Head Turk walked around the desk and offered a hand to Cloud, who took it slowly. “Congratulations on making it this far. You’re part of a small elite force for Shinra, and it’s no easy feat.” _

_ “It’s...an honor,” Cloud answered quietly. “But, sometimes I don’t think I deserve this.” _ _   
_ _ “What do you mean?” Tseng asked. “You did well. Don’t let others get into your head. It wouldn’t have mattered if Zack never left SOLDIER. You would’ve gotten into the first rank after all the hard work you put towards your goal. Don’t minimize your accomplishments.” _

_ “Right…” _

_ Tseng then walked around his desk and reached into a drawer and pulled out a file. He slid it on top and motioned for Cloud to take a look.  _

_ “Cloud, since Zack’s no longer around, you’re being charged with watching over Aerith Gainsborough,” Tseng said, sliding a case file over to him. Cloud picked up the folder and opened it, revealing the photograph of Zack’s girlfriend. Her slender face and pleasant smile sent chills up his spine. If Shinra wanted her, then it must be for a reason.  _

_ “Why do you need her?” Cloud asked quietly. “She used to date Zack, but...what does she mean to you?” _ _   
_ _ “It’s classified,” Tseng said curtly. “So, I can’t tell you why. But, Shinra needs her willing cooperation for some information she has that could make life so much better for the residents of Midgar, and maybe the rest of the Planet.” _

_ “You make it sound like she’s some kind of savior or something,” Cloud said with a frown. “Why do I have to be the one to watch over her?” _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “We figured with your own history that perhaps she’ll be more willing to come to Shinra on her own, once she has full trust in someone she knows,” Tseng replied smoothly. He laced his fingers together before resting his head on the back of his hands. “Now that Zack has deserted Shinra, we need someone from SOLDIER to be tasked with this important assignment, and I can’t think of anyone better than you.” _

_ “But, I haven’t even seen Aerith since I got back to Midgar,” Cloud groaned. “She might not even remember me.” _ _   
_ _ “It doesn’t matter,” Tseng said. “Once you say you’re friends with Zack, she’ll immediately warm up to you. Just make sure you mention that you knew him, and it’ll work.” _

_ There was a long pause. Cloud sighed. “Why don’t you send Sephiroth to do it? He was friends with Zack too. _ _   
_ _ Tseng’s eyes narrowed. “Sephiroth? I’m...I don’t get what you mean.” _ _   
_ _ “He’s been hanging around me ever since Zack left,” Cloud said angrily. He had no patience for Tseng playing dumb whenever it came to Sephiroth. “Like...doesn’t he ever get to do some of the grunt work?” _

_ “Sure…” Tseng said slowly. He gave Cloud that look as if he was warning him not to do any funny business. “Right, I’ll let Heiddeger know of your suggestion. I’m sure that’ll make sense to him.” _

_ Cloud sighed. Again, he’ll be in Zack’s shadow, and now, he’s expected to watch over his girlfriend and that’s not something he wanted to be doing. Let alone after his departure. He looked at Aerith’s picture again, wondering what he had gotten himself into.  _

* * *

It was then, Cloud saw someone who looked like Aerith walking through the crowds with tears rolling down her face. Upon further inspection, the SOLDIER was taken aback.  _ It was Aerith.  _

“Aerith!” Cloud shouted, running to catch up with her. The flower girl turned, saw Cloud and immediately turned back around and kept walking further away from him. This only fueled him to go after him. 

“Hey! Wait!” He finally caught up to Aerith who then slowly turned around. She  _ was  _ crying. “Why’d you keep running? I know you heard me.” Cloud felt angry and annoyed, but those feelings died off when Aerith tried to wipe the tears from her eyes. 

“Sorry, but now’s not a good time,” the flower girl said, wiping her eyes. “I-I still have flowers to deliver to the Leaf House. We can talk later—”

“You know that’s not how this works,” Cloud said sternly. “Now, tell me what’s going on.”

The flower girl closed her eyes, trying to keep her composure when she stared intently into Cloud’s eyes.    
“Why didn’t you tell me about Zack? You saw him that night, when the reactor exploded didn’t you?” She asked quietly. The weighted question struck Cloud.  _ How did she know about Zack? I didn’t tell her— _ “...Tifa and I were talking about your date and that’s how it sort of came out.”

“Wait…” Cloud’s eyes widened. “Tifa?”   
Aerith’s eyes looked troubled. “I’m sorry...did you guys not talk about him?”   
“I talked to her the night of the bombing. She helped me out after I got hurt, and I told her then about running into him at the reactor.” He started feeling his hands twitching. “She...didn’t seem that surprised.”

Cloud’s mind was racing. The only time he talked to Tifa about Zack was a few nights ago when he was injured and stumbled back to Stargazer Heights. It started making sense. Her measured way of reacting to his reveal of confronting his former best friend at the Sector 1 Reactor, how earlier she seemed consumed in her thoughts. It started piecing it together. 

_ Tifa must be working with Avalanche, and working with Zack directly.  _

“Cloud?” Aerith called out to him, concerned. “Hey, what’s going on?”   
“Nothing, it’s fine,” Cloud said rather coldly. “It’s just, why would she lie to me? Why would she keep something that important from me?”

The flower girl sighed. “I didn’t mean to make you upset, I shouldn’t have said anything.” She looked upwards. “It wasn’t Tifa that made Zack go and join Avalanche, and knowing Zack...he probably has his reasons.” Cloud felt guilty looking at Aerith who started crying again. “Please don’t take your anger out on Tifa. She probably didn’t know anything about Zack. Just don’t blame her.”

Cloud looked down. “I have a date with her this evening,” he said. “I don’t know..."

“Oh no you don't!” Aerith protested. “If you don’t go on your date, then that’ll ruin  _ everything _ .”   
“Why do you care so much about whether Tifa and I have a date or not?” Cloud asked suspiciously. “I didn’t think you were  _ that  _ invested.”

Aerith blushed pink. “I-I just think you two would make a great couple. Just thinking about it makes sense, you know?” She wiped the tears from her eyes. “You deserve to be happy and be with someone who’ll do just that.”

“I suppose.” Cloud shrugged. “I just don’t know what to think. Trusting someone is pretty important.”   
“Well, let’s talk about it. Wanna help me out with gathering some baskets for the Leaf House?” She asked. “You have some time before your date. That might help clear your head.”

“Sure…”

With that, Cloud silently followed Aerith to the Sector 5 Slums, though it took some time to navigate the winding roads and avoid the crowds of people who were wandering around. It was unlike his friend to keep all to herself, usually her cheerful disposition was what drew Cloud to Aerith, and held onto their relationship tightly. 

After arriving at the Sector 5 Church, Cloud stood off to the side as Aerith started weeding through her flower patch, checking on the blossoms while picking off any wilted or browned leaves. It looked tedious, Cloud thought, but it was something that he found comforting to watch. 

Aerith was almost motherly in her treatment of him, and it was something he always appreciated. Sometimes, he wondered if he loved her romantically, but it was something hard to explain. He was rather fond of her, but something always kept him from pursuing it. Something deep inside him felt that it wasn’t meant to be. 

“What are you thinking about?” Aerith asked. “You have that look on your face.”   
“Just that I’m glad we’re friends,” Cloud said earnestly. He paused. “So, was there a reason why we never tried?”   
  
After a few minutes, Cloud wondered if he said the wrong thing. But it was when Aerith sighed that he realized that she was struggling to put her own feelings into words. “I just don’t think we’d work out,” she said quietly. “As much as it’s hard to understand, I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

“What do you mean?” Cloud asked. “Is it Zack?”   
“No, not Zack,” Aerith said, shaking her head. “I don’t know if I should say.”   
“Well, just try?”

Aerith slowly rose from the ground and walked over to where Cloud stood, her emerald eyes glowing in the sunlight that streamed through the broken stained glass windows. Her long plaited hair swinging slowly behind her. She stared at Cloud closely, and she smiled. 

“I just want you to embrace all the memories that you make, and hold onto them. Don’t lose them. Make every moment count. Everyone dies eventually, that’s why it’s so important to not take any moment for granted.”

Cloud felt puzzled. “That’s pretty deep.”   
Aerith laughed softly. She gently placed a hand on his cheek, causing him to blush. “I think...you think too much.”

For a moment, Cloud thought to himself as Aerith returned to her garden patch, tending to the flower again. He sighed. Sometimes, he wondered how he felt about her. But, something prevented him from seeing her completely in that light. There was something buried...yet he didn’t know.

“I’m guessing Tseng talked to you recently?” Aerith asked. “You haven’t really been around lately.”

“He wants you to come willingly to Shinra,” Cloud admitted. “I think he wants me to try convincing you to go to HQ on your own. Afraid Reno and Rude are gonna try to do it by force if he gets impatient enough.”   
  
“I know Tseng,” Aerith said. She dusted her hands. “He wouldn’t hurt me. Nor do I think he’d really try to make a big statement by just coming in here, guns ablazing.”

“I wouldn’t underestimate them,” Cloud said, shaking his head. “Question is, why is it that they want you to come to Shinra? They never once told me why I was assigned to protect you, aside from it being a favor to Zack.”

Aerith didn’t reply. She merely kept digging in the dirt, as if she was avoiding the conversation all together. Cloud grew annoyed. 

“Are you really not going to tell me?” Cloud asked. His eyes glaring at the back of her head. “Seriously?”   
“I don’t think it’s really of anyone’s business,” she answered smoothly. “Nor is it of your concern, Cloud Strife.”

_ Figures _ . He sighed and then sat down on the floor. Aerith gave him the side-eye and continued humming cheerfully. “So, are you going to go on your date with Tifa?”   
  
“I don’t know.” The SOLDIER ruffled his blonde spikes, agitated that he even was considering it. “She kept something so important from me. How can I trust her?”

“Sometimes, you have to give people a chance before you just decide never to try with them.” The flower girl wiped her hands. “Don’t give up on Tifa. I can tell, the two of you have something special and that’s a rarity in itself.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, there’s something natural about the way you two act around each other,” Aerith said simply. “You say you haven’t met before, but whenever you’re around each other it’s like anyone can tell that you share a personal connection that can only be built with time. So, it’s kind of crazy how much you two get along.”

Cloud looked down, and tried to hide his smile from Aerith. 

“I guess I have a date to get ready for.”

* * *

Later that night, Cloud looked at himself in the mirror. He wore a dark vest with a blue collared dress shirt that was unbuttoned at the top. He wore fitted dress pants complete with matching shoes. It felt strange wearing something that wasn’t really his style, but Cloud was more than willing to be uncomfortable for one night. 

"I guess that's that then."

He took one last look in the mirror before walking outside, closing the door behind him. The SOLDIER slowly made his way next door, though his feet grew heavier with each step. His heart was beating rapidly and his stomach twisted itself in knots. It was a strange feeling as he reached his hand out in front of Tifa's door and tried to knock. His anxiety started kicking in, almost screaming at him to run away and save himself the embarrassment. He never went on a date before, so this was all foreign to him. 

Before he lost his nerve, Cloud mustered enough courage to knock quickly and then pulled himself back. He wasn't sure how this was going to go. _Too late to back out now,_ he thought. He could hear some movement inside, and just as he was about to run off, the door slowly opened. 

"Hey."

All the air rushed out of his lungs. _Was it possible for an angel to suddenly appear in the flesh?_ Cloud thought to himself. Tifa stepped out of her apartment and immediately, Cloud started blushing. Her slender figure was accentuated by a halter mini dress in a royal indigo color with dark lace trimming that tied into an elegant bow around her neck that dipped into a daring, plunging neckline. Around her waist was a belt consisting of dark colored roses and pearls, and a pair of strappy blue heels were wrapped around her ankles. 

It amazed Cloud to see her in this light. Her long dark hair reached the small of her back, and her red eyes glittered joyously as he examined her face. Tifa always appeared naturally bare-faced, but tonight she had minimal make-up that drastically emphasized her eyes, her pink lips curled into an amused smile. Adorning her left ear was a single crescent moon earring that glimmered gold. 

“Uh…” For once, Cloud was rendered dumb. There was no way he was ready for this. His feet felt like cement, and he couldn’t move. 

“Hi?” Tifa greeted him slowly. “I’m guessing that’s what you were trying to say?” She laughed softly, causing Cloud to look away. He didn’t want to show her that she stunned him, but here he was. Speechless. “You look...great.” The bartender took a look at Cloud and smiled. “It’s kind of amazing how you matched me, even though I didn’t really tell you what I was going to wear.”

Cloud laughed nervously. “I guess it was meant to be, huh.” With a blush, he tried to maintain his composure. “You look beautiful, by the way.”

“I suppose so,” Tifa said, looking at herself. “I was surprised that there was something I could afford at one of the vendor stalls around here. But, Marle actually helped me out with picking this one.”

“Marle?” Cloud said, surprised. “I’m actually surprised that she was willing to help you.”   
“I don’t see why not, she’s a super sweet lady,” Tifa answered. “You probably just need to be a little nicer, and she’ll treat you well.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” the SOLDIER said, rolling his eyes. “I don’t know why, but she never warmed up to me for all the time that I’ve lived at Stargazer Heights.”

“Probably because you work for Shinra,” Tifa said with a wink. “I’m guessing that probably has a lot to do with it.”   
“I guess so.”

Tifa slowly closed the door behind her, and locked it. “So, what’s on the agenda tonight?”   
“Well, I thought we could go topside,” Cloud said. “We’re dressed up, might as well get a chance to show ourselves off by hitting nightlife.”

“Sounds good to me,” Tifa replied. She paused. “I’ve never really had a chance to see what the upper plate is like. So, this’ll be a treat.”

The two headed for the train station, following several other people who also looked as if they were going out for a night on the town. Glittery heels and fancy suits, Cloud could see where they were headed, and he wasn’t sure how the evening was going to go. 

As they stood on the platform, Cloud felt his heart thudding against his chest. It was beating so much that he worried that Tifa would be able to hear its erratic beating.  _ Keep cool,  _ he thought to himself.  _ It’s just a date. It’s not like you’re getting married. Just play it cool.  _

Just as the train pulled up to the platform, the couple hopped inside and took their seats as the car jolted from the train’s movement. They were going to be heading up onto the top of the plate. Cloud looked around him at the various people who boarded the car. It was mostly filled with young people wearing various types of clothes from fancy gowns to clubbing outfits leaving none to the imagination. 

Young people liked to leave the slums and try to experience how the other half lives by venturing onto the plate and exploring what the world above had to offer them. Cloud never really ventured that much, but this was an important occasion that he felt he could break one of his own rules. 

“How was your day?” Tifa asked casually. “Was Shinra giving you a hard time about taking time off for yourself?”

“Not really,” Cloud said, shaking his head. “They were just annoyed. But, hey, they owe me.”   
“Must be great being able to just do whatever you want,” Tifa teased. “I don’t usually take time off from the bar, so you caught me at a pretty decent time.”

“Well, let’s not make a habit of it,” Cloud replied. “I’m just happy to do something else for a change. It’s nice.”   
“You act like you’ve never been on a date before,” Tifa said. When Cloud didn’t immediately object, her eyes widened. “Wait...is this your  _ first  _ date?”

“I guess you can say that,” Cloud shrugged. “I just never really enjoyed the company until recently.”   
“I’m honored.”   
“You should be,” he retorted, prompting Tifa to laugh. “I’m kidding, but honestly, I just never really thought to go out with anyone and well, I enjoy getting to know you.”

“Me too,” Tifa nodded. “It’s nice having someone to talk to about stuff. I never thought that me living next door would mean that I would get to explore Midgar a bit more. This has been the only place I’ve been able to call home, after all.”

Cloud nodded, though something stirred within him. “Do you...remember much of anything from where you’re from or what you were doing before Midgar?”

Tifa bit her lip and looked down. Cloud almost regretted asking such a personal question, but Tifa then smiled. “I don’t remember much of anything. I just remember walking out of the clinic, and then ending up at the Honeybee Inn. The manager there took me in and helped me get situated for the time being until I could start earning a little cash to build up my savings.”

“I’m surprised you weren’t able to remember much about your past,” Cloud said, hanging onto one of the railings built into the train car. “I’m kind of in the same boat, actually.”

“Really?”

“I came to Midgar about five years ago,” Cloud said, craning his neck back to try and recollect his own journey. “I don’t…remember much about the old days. I just remember going on a mission with Zack, and then...nothing. I just ended up in the metro with no memory and a promotion in hand.”

“Interesting,” Tifa said. She seemed concerned, and Cloud waited to see if she would reveal her secrets. But, she merely sat there with her eyes clouded with pain. “I wish I had more of an idea of where I’m from and who I was before coming here. But, my memories...I don’t remember a thing.”

“Well, maybe it’ll come back little by little,” Cloud suggested lightly. “There’s no need to worry about it. If it was important, then you’ll remember it. Eventually.”

“I guess you’re right.” Tifa smiled brightly. “I’m lucky that you were around to help me when I passed out in Wall Market. It was a chance meeting, and here we are, on a date.”

“Right,” Cloud said with a smile. “Funny how things like that work themselves out.” He wanted so much to have Tifa tell him upfront about Zack, but he knew that she was tight-lipped. Her eyes gleamed. 

“What do you have planned for tonight?” Tifa asked while adjusting herself on the seat. “I’m guessing you aren’t much of a dancer, are you?”   
  
“I don’t dance.” Cloud flushed. “There’s no way in hell you’d see me busting out my  _ killer  _ moves.”

Suddenly, Tifa burst out laughing. “I never thought I’d hear you joking about something normal like dancing.”   
“Is that bad?”   
“No! I like it!” She said with a smile. “Makes your massive sword feel less...ominous.”

“Which sword are we talking about?” Cloud asked, raising an eyebrow. Their eyes connected and then the two of them started laughing hard, causing other passengers to look at them with interest. “Sorry, I couldn’t help it.”

Tifa wiped her eyes that were tearing up from the mirth and she sighed. “I needed a good laugh. Thanks for that.”

“Anytime.”

* * *

The train rolled to a stop at the top of the plate, the doors swooshed open which signaled to riders that it was time to get off. Tifa and Cloud hopped onto the platform and watched the train slowly pull itself away and zoom off into the distance towards the other sectors of Midgar. 

“What’s on the agenda?” Tifa asked curiously. “You’ve been pretty quiet about this entire evening, and I’m wondering if it’s something fun or something crazy where I might have to question your sanity.”

“Oh, I got plenty of stuff up my sleeve,” Cloud smirked. “Don’t worry about it.”

Walking side by side together, Cloud felt himself grow warm. Being near Tifa resurfaced some emotions that he couldn’t describe. These feelings felt familiar. Almost as if they’ve always existed, but Cloud couldn’t put a finger on how this was happening. Tifa was a complete stranger to him, and yet, the way that they were engaging each other and spending time together, it made him feel as if he’d always known her. 

Some people were like that, but this felt completely different and Cloud started feeling like he was opening up to her. Almost as if he was OK with just not playing it cool. If he acted silly or stupid, then he didn’t mind it nearly as much around Tifa. He could just simply be himself. 

“Gil for your thoughts?” Tifa asked. 

“Just...stuff.”

“Oh so talkative,” Tifa teased. Cloud smirked again. “Is that something they teach you in SOLDIER?”   
“Nope, just an asshole naturally.”   
“Naturally.”

The two had a good time bantering and engaging in silly conversations. From an outsider’s perspective, they were just another young couple enjoying the sights of the city. The topside was much different than it was below the plate. The streets were well maintained and paved, the buildings were in immaculate, almost luxurious condition, and the people even carried themselves differently as if they were walking above the world and that nothing could exist below them beneath the plate. 

“Hey, so why did you end up in the slums?” Tifa asked. “I figured as SOLDIER, you’d be enjoying it up here.”   
  
“I’m a simple guy,” Cloud replied. “I don’t need luxury. Just give me a roof over my head and I’ll be good. Plus, the pay’s shit.”

“I see,” Tifa said. Her heels clicked against the pavement. Her hair swishing behind her like silk ribbons. Cloud couldn’t stop staring at her. “You and I have that in common. I’m not really someone who likes the hustle and bustle of the city.”

“But you’re in Midgar,” Cloud quipped. “That’s as city as you can get around this Planet.”   
“It’s not like I chose to be here,” Tifa answered. “I don’t remember how I got here, and I don’t even know where I come from. I just...feel like I might’ve come from somewhere else. A far off place where there’s starry nights and open skies. No skyscrapers. No metal or concrete. Just me and the sky.”

Cloud quietly pondered this. He sometimes felt suffocated by the city, and wanted nothing more to be in a place where he can escape and ride off with the wind running through his hair and to enjoy the expansive land that went into the unknown. It was a deep desire to get away from places that felt claustrophobic, which Midgar could be at times. Tight enclosed spaces made him nervous. 

“I’m sorta the same,” Cloud said truthfully. “I sometimes forget that there were things about my past that I miss. Things about home.”

“Where’s home for you?” Tifa asked curiously. “I always assumed you lived here in Midgar your entire life.”

“No,” Cloud said, shaking his head. “I’m from a small mountain village on another continent. You probably haven’t heard of it. Nibelheim.”

Tifa’s face shifted ever so slightly. “Nibelheim?”

“Yeah, have you heard of it?”

“Just in passing,” Tifa said quietly. “Sounds like a nice place to live.”

“It was,” Cloud said. 

“What do you mean?”

“It burned down a long time ago,” he answered. “I don’t really remember how. But, a lot of people died. Including my mother. She...didn’t make it out of the house.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Tifa said sympathetically. “That’s...crazy. You would think that more people would’ve heard something about it. That would make the front page news.”

“It was five years ago,” Cloud said with a shrug. “Anyways, it’s in the past now. No need to go digging around when everything’s been buried. You have to focus on the here and now, otherwise you’ll get caught up in old shit and never dig yourself out again.”

“I see,” Tifa said. She looked down at the ground. “I don’t remember my hometown. I don’t remember anything about my past. Just...remember waking up in a hospital one day and that was that. I had no place to go, so I ended up in Wall Market and became a dancer to try and keep myself off the streets. It worked for a little bit, but...I couldn’t afford any of the places that were around.”

“You seem to be adjusting just fine now,” Cloud said. Tifa smiled. “But, don’t worry about not remembering things. Maybe one day it’ll come back to you. Sometimes, the mind just needs some time to process and heal itself. No need to force anything.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

After walking several more blocks, Cloud and Tifa settled for some noodles at a nearby food stand and enjoyed some fish cakes on a stick. Then, they stopped by a place for some shaved ice flavored with a sweet berry syrup that melted on the tongue. 

For a little while, they just window shopped, looking at various store displays. Young couples walked hand-in-hand and laughed underneath the glowing street lamps as if they were love drunk. Tifa seemed amused by this, her eyes never leaving the people who seemed so lost in each other. Cloud wondered if this was something Tifa wanted, but he couldn’t imagine himself pouring his heart and soul like that. 

Not right now, anyway. 

“I never really thought that so many people would be coming up from the slums for the night,” Tifa said aloud, looking around her. “I just thought...everyone seems so happy down below.”

“It hasn’t always been that way,” Cloud said. “From what Marle told me once, each sector of Midgar used to be a town. They had their own identities. Their own names. But Shinra basically started building over them and soon enough, no one remembered their town’s history. Their own past was taken away over time.”

“That’s sad.”

“It is,” Cloud said, shaking his head. “But, those who live underneath the plate love their communities. No matter how polluted or dirty it gets, they live there with pride. Still, you can’t help but want to help them improve their lives and make sure they get the same quality of life as those who live topside.”

Tifa smiled. “You’re a pretty good guy.”   
“You just realize this?”

“No, not that,” Tifa said quietly. She seemed to struggle with her own words. “It’s just...it’s hard to think that you’re in SOLDIER. I thought they were sort of ruthless when it came to enforcing law and order. To be honest, I was surprised that you were so helpful and nice to me when I needed help all those weeks ago. Aerith was the one who told me you were in the program, and it was really hard to understand that you were one of them.”

Cloud felt his breath quicken. Tifa was starting to open up to him, and maybe...maybe she’ll tell him the truth. He tried to gently push her to reveal to him her secret.  _ C’mon Tifa,  _ he thought.  _ Tell me the truth.  _

“But, I’m not like them,” Cloud said quietly. “I can think and act for myself.”   
“I can see that,” Tifa answered kindly. “And, to be honest, you’re sort of losing that hard edge.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“No! Not at all, I like it.” Tifa smiled warmly. “I just hope to see more of that from you. Maybe...in time.”

“Will I get to know you more too?” Cloud asked, prompting Tifa to blush pink. “I feel that’s something you can sort of pay me back with.”

“Pay you back?” Tifa looked confused. “What do you mean?”   
“For being the best neighbor,” he teased, causing Tifa to laugh out in surprise. “At least, you’re paying me back with this date for helping you out.”

“I guess that price is worth it,” Tifa giggled. She then started looking serious. “Hey...if I tell you something, will you promise that you won’t see me any differently than you do right now?”

Cloud braced himself. Tifa must be ready to tell him about Zack and her underground work with Avalanche. “Sure thing. You can trust me.”

The bartender smiled, and looked relieved. She then started opening her mouth. “Well...you see. I really think I should tell you that I—”

_ CRACK. BOOM.  _ The two looked up and saw fireworks exploding mid-air with couples marveling at the glittering and illuminating display of different colors. They sparkled in the air and blossomed like flowers swirling ahead. The loud booms drowned out all of what Tifa was trying to tell him, and Cloud felt only slightly annoyed. 

_ Just great,  _ he thought to himself. 

Cloud was about to ask Tifa to repeat what she was going to say, but immediately stopped himself when he saw how happy she looked watching the fireworks. Her smile radiated from within and her carmine eyes shined brilliantly within the afterglow of the sparks flying above them. 

She looked beautiful. Ethereal. Almost as if she wasn’t a part of this broken Planet and that she was too good to be here with the likes of himself. Her long hair fluttered slightly in the breeze. Tifa looked as if she was in awe of what was unfolding in front of her. As if there was nothing else but her and the fireworks. 

The way Tifa watched the fireworks made it feel as if the entire light show was just for her, and Cloud watched her silently. That was when his heart started yearning to be near her. Though, he tried to keep himself at a distance. This felt like a fleeting moment, where something precious happened and no one wants to break it in fear of losing those feelings. Cloud felt this was that. 

No matter how much he tried to keep himself from falling for her, somehow, Tifa still managed to make her way into his heart. His heart almost wanted to reach for her, as if it was welcoming a long lost love.  _ How was that even possible?  _ Cloud thought.  _ How is it possible that a complete stranger I met randomly, is turning out to be someone that I never want to imagine living life without.  _

“Isn’t it beautiful?” Tifa asked, her voice breaking through Cloud’s thoughts while staring with wide eyes at the fireworks. “They almost look like stars from down here.” She turned her attention back to Cloud. “Do they have fireworks here often?”

“Sometimes Wall Market does,” Cloud said. “I’m surprised that you haven’t seen fireworks before.”

Tifa looked down at her shoes and seemed to have fallen silent. Cloud wondered if he said something wrong, but Tifa lifted her head slowly and smiled ruefully. “When you’re struggling you find yourself, you tend to look inward and not pay attention to anything else happening around you. I haven’t had the chance to really... _ see _ what’s happening around me.”

Cloud tilted his head, and then processed what Tifa was saying. He then smiled. “Well, I’m glad you’re able to enjoy yourself.”

“Thank you for bringing me,” Tifa said. She then motioned with her head. “Well, we should probably get going. It’s getting pretty late, and I have to work tomorrow.”

“Alright.”

The bartender smiled and started walking ahead of the SOLDIER, who followed slowly. When she turned around and smiled, Cloud felt his heart explode like the fireworks in the sky. 

* * *

The two made their way back to the Sector 7 Slums, though they were each consumed in their own thoughts about how the evening went. Cloud anxiously wanted to know how Tifa felt about them both, but he also desired to know more about her involvement with Avalanche. Or, maybe he just wanted to disprove his suspicions so that he wouldn’t have to experience the unpleasant thought of linking her to a terrorist organization responsible for the killing of innocent people. 

While riding the train back, he saw how deeply happy Tifa seemed. Though she wasn’t one to really outwardly express herself, Cloud learned the subtle ways she displayed her feelings. Her eyes would crinkle around the edges if she was happy, or a gentle smile would appear on her lips whenever she liked what she was hearing. If she was worried, her hands would clench. If she was angry...she just wouldn’t show it and keep quiet all to herself. 

Just by spending time with her, Cloud grew even more fascinated by her mere presence and wanted nothing more than to just stick around and just enjoy each other’s company. It was a rarity for himself, who usually didn’t like people or being around them for too long. 

Yet, Tifa was different. As the train passed through lit tunnels, the light would flicker past them like fireflies. Every now and then, Cloud would see her face emerging from the darkness. She was lighting up the darkness he felt inside, and even the cold exterior he tended to put up around himself was slowly starting to melt. 

“What are you thinking about?” Tifa asked suddenly. “You’re looking at me all weird.”

“I’m glad I met you.”

The girl appeared bewildered at first, but then, her smile appeared. "Yeah...I'm glad too."


	11. Standing in Line

Tifa was in a considerably good mood the following night after Cloud’s date with her to the top of the plate. She dreamily went through her shift to the chagrin of her fellow Avalanche members. She hummed slightly to herself as she washed the dishes, served customers with a bright smile and even put up with the drunks (to a point). 

Barret noticed this, and asked Zack pointedly why she was behaving this way. The ex-SOLDIER merely shook his head and refused to indulge in revealing why the newest member of Avalanche acted as if she was smitten. It wasn’t his news to tell, especially since Tifa was getting tangled with the enemy. Even if the enemy was his former friend. 

“None of our business what she does outside of work,” Zack shrugged. “Besides, we all need to get ready for the next mission.” Zack looked around the bar and then frowned. “Where’s those three?”

“Dunno, maybe Wedge got himself stuck at a food cart again,” Barret growled. “Honestly, the boy gets caught up in anything deep fried on a stick and now—”

Suddenly the doors burst open. Zack and Barret popped their heads up while Tifa looked up from her tasks. Biggs and Wedge rushed inside, but they were carrying someone. Upon closer inspection, the person was Jessie. 

“Jessie!” Zack shouted. He rushed over and the two men set Jessie down on one of the bar stools. Her leg looked swollen and bruised. From what, it was unclear. Tifa quickly assembled an ice pack and brought it over to Jessie who thanked her quietly as she cringed in pain. 

“How’d this happen?” Barret demanded. “Answer damn it!”

Biggs sighed. “We don’t know. We were on our way back and all of a sudden, Jessie got injured. She wasn’t sure what exactly attacked her. She just ended up with a busted leg and that’s why it took us so long.”

Jessie growled. “Dammit. I can’t go on the mission like this.” She looked apologetically at everyone in the bar. “Sorry, guys. But, I guess I’m out. I’d only slow everyone down.” 

Zack groaned. “Shit. We can’t make this a two-man mission. We need to find someone else to fill in.” He looked around the group. “Barret, me…”

Wedge jumped around, waving his hand. “I can help! I can go and set the bomb no problem!” When no one in the group answered him, he immediately deflated. “Why not?”

“We need someone to stay behind to watch Jessie and Marlene,” Barret said roughly. “It’s really nothing personal, Wedge.”

“What about Biggs?” Jessie asked quietly. “Unless…”

“He needs to do the initial scouting and make sure it’s clear for us to make a clean run without anyone stopping us,” Zack explained. “We can’t risk not having someone watching our backs, and we need three people—”

Tifa slowly walked away and went back to her place behind the bar. She quietly put glasses away and started counting down the till. She held her breath. She knew what was going to happen. She didn’t want it to happen. Perhaps if she just kept her head down low…

“Tifa?”

She silently wiped the glass with a clean rag. Tifa knew this was going to happen. Inevitably, she would be joining them on a bombing mission. That was the last thing she wanted to do, and she had fought hard against all other requests to be included. 

This time, she felt herself cornered and knew that this would be the time she couldn’t refuse to go. Tifa absolutely hated it. She looked up and found Zack sitting at the bart top with his eyes glowing that fiercely intense mako-blue that looked similar to Cloud’s eyes. 

“Tifa…”

“You need me to go, don’t you?”

“It appears so.”

Zack almost looked apologetic. “I know that this wasn’t in your contract or anything...but we  _ really  _ need someone to come and help us out with this one.”

“Zack…”

“Please?”   
  


Tifa shook her head. “I don’t agree with this. Not one bit. You know that. How do you know I won’t just bail before this even happens? I’m not going to be responsible for the deaths of hundreds of innocent people. Not just because I don’t like Shinra.”

“We fixed the issue with the last bomb, Jessie made sure to use less of the explosive compound and it won’t be nearly as powerful,” Zack answered earnestly. “We don’t want to hurt anyone else either. But, Shinra needs to answer for its crimes, and it’s clear that no one else is going to stand up to them, but us.”

It was a convincing argument, but Tifa remained unconvinced that this was the path that she wanted to go down. Zack seemed to sense her hesitation and sighed. “Listen...if you remembered what Shinra did to you personally, then you’d be all for burning it to the ground and stopping them from doing anymore harm.”

“Why don’t you just tell me then, Zack?” Tifa said. “What happened to me? How did I end up in Midgar?” She then poured herself some water before settling down on the bar stool adjacent to Zack’s. “Give me one good reason why I should be doing this. Not because it’s the ‘right thing’ but really...is this worth the pain and the countless sacrifices?”

She swirled her cup around, wondering if anything she was saying was going to get through to the man, but as she turned her head, she was stunned to see Zack smiling. 

“Zack?”

“You know...I can see why Cloud cared for you so much,” Zack said gently. “Way back then even. You were this girl from a small village who looked to guide us through the mountains. Said she was ‘the number one guide’ in the town, and we trusted you completely.”

Tifa felt herself grow even more confused. “Zack…”

“You and Cloud were hurt...bad.” The ex-SOLDIER gripped his forehead, as if he didn’t want to remember the details, but he was forcing himself to push through it. “Nibelheim was burned to the ground and so many innocent people were murdered in cold blood.”

He took a sip of his drink. “You could’ve been another casualty...but you had balls. You picked up his sword and just decided to take down that son of a bitch right then and there in the reactor.”

“Huh?” Tifa said, bewildered. “W-Wait...I did what now?”

“You went to go kill the man responsible for the destruction of your hometown...and the murder of your father,” he said quietly. “But by the time I got there….it was too late. He cut you down. There was so much blood. I thought for sure you weren’t going to make it.”

Shivers went up her spine. As much as Tifa listened to Zack, there was still something in her that didn’t fully grasp what he was telling her. How could he remember those events so vividly, but she couldn’t remember a damn thing about what happened to her in the past?

“You have to be kidding me,” Tifa said, shaking her head. “I’m sorry, but there’s just no way that happened. I don’t remember a damn thing and that’s not something you can just forget.”

“Tifa…”

“No! Zack, I appreciate you wanting me to help you out on your mission, but...trying to convince me that something that happened years ago would make me want to seek revenge is not going to change how I feel now.”

The bartender felt her hands shake. “I don’t remember much of anything, but what good is it to dig up old feelings or memories and then just try to destroy what good I have left? It’s pointless. Why do you try to convince yourself that this is the right thing to do?”

Zack sighed. “I know that I can’t convince you otherwise, but just try to understand that this is the bigger picture. Shinra is hurting people. They hurt  _ you  _ and they hurt Cloud too.”

Cloud. The name that made Tifa’s heart flutter. Yet, she didn’t want to imagine that there was a possibility that there was a past life that she had with him. A whole childhood...a whole slew of memories just  _ lost _ . 

“Tifa?” Zack asked. “How far would you go to protect someone you care about? The person you love? Would you be willing to fight against those who threaten their lives?” The ex-SOLDIER held out his hand for Tifa to take. “I had to sacrifice being with someone I love because I thought it was the best to take care of them from afar and not drag them into it.”

“But Aerith’s been waiting for you!” Tifa cried out. “How can you just sit here and keep yourself away knowing that it breaks her heart?”

“She deserves to be with someone who will care for her and not be under the threat of dying any second,” he replied coolly. “Besides...it’s been years. You think she would really wait that long for anyone who wasn’t able to answer any of those letters?”

“Why didn’t you answer those letters?” Tifa asked. “Why...why would you do something like that?”

“It’s part of the job,” Zack answered, though Tifa could sense that Zack wasn’t being completely truthful. “Besides...if Shinra gets a whiff that Cloud has feelings for you, or anything of the sort and that you’re in Avalanche...they’ll end him right on the spot.”

Tifa’s head jerked. “What?”   
  


“They don’t take kindly to traitors,” Zack added simply. “I should know. As soon as what happened in Nibelheim, they didn’t want to risk anyone finding out about what happened. “ His eyes glared into his drink. The man took another sip before he decided to down it all. 

“But Tifa, I’m asking you to protect the people who are most vulnerable to Shinra, and that means the people who live in the slums,” Zack said. “The people who live around the world as Shinra attempts to seize their land, their dreams...all for the sake of greed. You and Cloud lost everything that night in Nibelheim because of their actions. You of all people I think deserve justice.”

Tifa sighed. “Zack…”

“If Cloud’s on the other side, then there’s no point in trying to reason with him,” Zack said coldly. “We need to keep going. Maybe someday, he’ll understand. Maybe one day, he’ll remember.”

“No need,” a voice called out. Tifa’s and Zack’s eyes widened as they turned around and saw Cloud Strife standing in the entrance of Seventh Heaven, his mako-blue eyes glowing as if he’s ready to kill. 


	12. Bitters

Cloud stood at the entrance of the bar, making his presence known. His mako-blue eyes glowed fiercely at Zack who immediately stood up. Soon, everyone’s attention in Seventh Heaven was on the two men who immediately squared off with each other. 

He found Tifa, staring at him fearfully. It was a look he wished he didn’t cause, but it was quite clear. She was one of them, and he had an obligation to bring them all into Shinra. Dead or alive. 

“So it’s true,” Cloud muttered. “All this time you’ve been under our noses.”

“Cloud…” Zack said. “So, you did make it out of the reactor.”

“In the flesh,” Cloud said. “I’m not surprised that you did too.”

“Why do you have to do this, man?” Zack asked rather coldly. “This isn’t you. You’re letting all of this SOLDIER shit get to your head. Remember who you were before you put on that uniform. You’re---”

“I’m not you,” Cloud interrupted. “I never was. I never thought I’d see the day when you’d be the one I have to chase down and put down. I just can’t believe you’d be the one behind all the bombings. You’re not the Zack Fair I used to know!”

The two men glared at each other. Just as Cloud was about to take another step, Tifa immediately ran in front of him and spread her arms out to stop him from proceeding to slaughter Zack. He tried to side step her, but she was persistent. 

“Cloud...stop this. You guys are best friends!”

“Doesn’t matter,” Cloud answered. “This guy has a bounty on his head and was presumed dead up until recently. He’s wanted for a massacre that took place in Nibelheim five years ago. He’s dangerous, Tifa.”

The bartender’s eyes widened.

“Do you honestly believe Shinra’s propaganda?” Zack said, raising an eyebrow. “Memory serves, you almost died and you know damn well it wasn’t me, Cloud. It was a cover up.”

Suddenly both Tifa and Cloud immediately gasped in pain as headaches plagued them both.  _ Flashes of fire, screaming and a town ablaze lit their senses. There were sickening, ghostly sounds of unforgiving steel ripping through skin, and cries for mercy that were silenced. _

Slowly Cloud reached over his shoulder to grip his sword handle, prompting Avalanche to jump to their feet.

“So, are you going to kill me Cloud?” Zack asked quietly. “I’m right here. Do what you gotta do, man. You always wanted to be in SOLDIER, now’s the time to prove it. Protect your honor.”

“Don’t tell me what your definition of honor means,” Cloud snarled. His head still ached, but his focus was still razor-sharp and zoned in on the man standing in front of him. Zack Fair. His former mentor and best friend from their days in Shinra. Now, they’re on opposite sides. 

But the look on Tifa’s face made him start to buckle on the inside. Was he really not that strong enough to end things right then and there? Why did he still feel attached to Zack’s friendship? Cloud tried to shake those thoughts, but they grew even heavier. Everything that he and Tifa talked about that night she healed him from the first reactor bombing, still rang true in his heart. 

_ What does it really mean to be strong? What does honor really mean? _

Tifa’s gaze shifted uncomfortably between the two men, and the rest of Avalanche gritted their teeth, almost preparing to step in and get involved if necessary. Cloud sighed, this was the last thing he expected to do tonight. Now, he had a choice, turn in Zack and the rest of Avalanche to Shinra, or just let it go for the night and risk them running off. 

His mako-enhanced hearing picked up a click and Cloud saw that the rest of Avalanche had guns pointed at him from all sides. Barret had his sights locked onto the SOLDIER.

“No funny business SOLDIER Boy,” Barret growled. “You might’ve pulled the wool over my eyes back at Sector 1, but here this is my turf. One wrong move—-“

“Barret, stand down,” Zack ordered. “Guys, enough. This is something we gotta deal with between the two of us. It’s some bad blood between friends. We can work it out.”

“But, Zack!” Biggs called out. “He’s Shinra! How do you know that he won’t turn all of us in? He’s SOLDIER!”

The blonde looked at everyone in the room. His eyes landed on Tifa’s who stood behind the counter with her fists clenched.  _ I was hoping this wasn’t the truth  _ Cloud thought to himself.  _ Why do you get yourself in trouble? Am I gonna have to keep saving you? _

After a few moments of silence, Cloud sighed. “I’m off the clock. As far as I’m concerned, just get out of my sight and we’ll call it good for now.”

Cloud then pulled off the giant sword on his back, and Zack’s eyes widened. “I see you have the Buster Sword,” Zack said quietly. “You took care of it all this time?”

“Always.” Cloud then spun it around and handed it over to Zack who gripped the leather-bound handle. The SOLDIER gripped it and swung it around, stunning Avalanche members. It was now in his possession. 

Slowly, Zack took up the Buster Sword and placed it onto his back. Cloud felt a little smaller without the massive blade, but he knew that it was returned to the rightful owner. 

“Well enough with the pleasantries,” Barret told Avalanche. “Zack, you can get reacquainted with SOLDIER Boy if you want. But, doesn’t mean I won’t let our guard down just because you were friends with him before. It’s different now.”

“Barret, I’m not worried.”

“Stamp’s afraid to bite the hand that feeds,” Barret replied. “Shouldn’t expect much from a lap dog. Or a  _ bitch _ .”

Cloud frowned, though he didn’t retort back at him. 

“That’s enough,” Zack said sharply. “Get going on your meeting. You can debrief me later.”

Reluctantly the group withdrew their weapons and holstered their guns grimly. 

“Gotta admit, the SOLDIER Boy’s hot,” Jessie said as she followed Biggs and Wedge to the pinball machine, though she limped. “We’re always recruiting for strong guys with muscle,” she called out flirtatiously. “If you catch my drift.”

Cloud flushed. “Not interested.”

“Psyche!” Jessie said with her tongue sticking out. She immediately disappeared with the rest of them. 

Barret then nodded at the bartender. “Tifa, we’re gonna need you to come to this one.”

Tifa looked terrified and Cloud almost wanted to grab her, but she merely nodded. “OK. Let me just get them situated, and then I’ll come down.”

Barret growled but didn’t rebuke her. He merely pulled the hidden lever underneath the pinball machine and let it lower him down into the secret hiding spot where Avalanche carried out their plans and missions. Soon, it was just Zack, Tifa and Cloud left in the bar. 

There was a heavy, awkward silence but Tifa seemed to try and break the tension. She motioned Cloud to come and sit at the bar alongside Zack. 

“Grab a seat,” Tifa said. Cloud watched her as she ran around the bar and he took a seat down at the counter. “What’ll it be?” She said, almost flirtatiously, prompting Cloud to play along. 

He couldn’t resist. No matter how things may be between the two of them, he could at least, hold onto the moments when he wouldn’t have to see her any differently. 

“I don’t know, something hard and bitter,” he said. Tifa chuckled and pulled out an amber bottle from under the bar and artfully poured it out into a cocktail mixer. She spun around and caught the shaker mid-air before continuing to shake it. Once finished, she poured out some bright yellow liquor into a glass and slid it down to Cloud, who caught it in one gloved hand. 

Zack looked amused at their banter and stayed silent throughout. 

Cloud looked down at the glass and slowly gulped down the drink, letting the bitterness hit his insides. It was an impressive drink, he thought, though Cloud didn’t want to admit it to her yet. 

“Well?” Tifa asked, leaning against the counter and resting her face on one of her hands. “Most people would say something sweet right about now.”

Cloud smirked. Two could play this game. “I’m sure they would.”

“Ah, but you’re a more discerning customer aren’t you?” Tifa said playfully, pointing at him. She then picked up the shaker again. “In which case…” The bartender shook the cocktail mixer and then magically poured out a bright ruby red drink into a clean glass. Instead of sliding it over, she brought the glass over to Cloud herself, with one hand resting against her left hip. 

“Our house special,” Tifa said coyly, before setting the glass down in front of him. “The Cosmo Canyon.” 

The SOLDIER First Class looked down at the drink, and noted its beautiful shade of ruby that almost mimicked Tifa’s own carmine eyes. It was uncanny, and he was certainly impressed by the magical shift in liquor that was quite advanced for a bartender who only started out a couple weeks ago. 

Slyly, Cloud picked up the drink and held it eye level as if he was examining it. “Beautiful,” he said. However, he was holding the drink out in view of Tifa’s eyes, who then started blushing fiercely. 

“I gotta go…” Tifa said, hurrying out of sight toward the pinball machine. Cloud sat at the counter, grinning that he managed to embarrass the bartender quite a bit. He knew that she was getting quite the reputation around the slums for being a beauty and for her charm, and yet, she seemed to enjoy his company the most. 

“Enjoy,” she said quietly before heading down, leaving Cloud with his own thoughts. He looked down at the beautiful drink that Tifa mixed for him and slowly, he began to down it. The warmth of the Cosmo Canyon radiated deep within him like a gentle flame that lit up the dark. 

But, it was tainted by the soreness of sitting next to Zack, the ghost of his friend he thought was long gone. The two men sat side by side in silence. The only sounds were them sipping their drinks casually. 

“I see you’ve gotten over your nerves and finally talked to Tifa,” Zack said, breaking the silence.”I remember everything that happened in Nibelheim. You were too scared to talk to her.”

“You know, you’re going to need to come clean to Aerith eventually,” Cloud said coldly, ignoring Zack’s comment. “She’s been waiting for you to come back to her for how many years, thinking you died.”

“I know.” Zack looked down at his own drink. “I know I do. I have a lot of folks I need to answer. Hell, I haven’t even talked to my own folks back in Gongaga for how long. Shit’s been a mess.”

Zack poured himself a glass of liquor, and then downed it in a single gulp. “Funny story...back in the day, I named the bar Seventh Heaven when this guy was building it. He liked the name, and thought he’d eventually get an attractive bartender or hostess to draw in the customers. I never thought much of it until lately, but I guess it’s funny how Tifa ended up being that girl.”

Silence fell between them again. 

“Why’d you do it, Zack?” Cloud asked angrily. He gripped the glass tightly, knowing if he added any more pressure he could potentially break it. “Why’d you desert Shinra? Why did you leave everyone behind thinking you were a traitor? I thought nothing was more important than your honor.”

Zack shook his head sadly. “Honor really doesn’t mean anything, especially if you work for people who destroy countless lives for selfish purposes. The feeling is hollow.”

Cloud silently shifted his gaze to his friend and looked back down at his drink. “Why didn’t you try to come find me, Zack? After all this time...Aerith was devastated that you never came home. I took care of her, just like you did. Tseng made me watch out for her because I know that’s what you made him promise. I can’t replace you, Zack. She needs you now, more than ever.”

The ex-SOLDIER gritted his teeth. “It’s not that simple, Cloud. Think about it. I’d just be putting her in more danger.” He then sighed again. “Now that Tifa’s involved too, there’s no getting out of it. She’s now gonna have a bounty on her head by Shinra. I wish she didn’t come here, but we had no choice. She’s safer with Avalanche than being alone.”

Zack then shook his head. “I have too much blood on my hands to let Shinra continue destroying innocent lives.”

Cloud looked from a side eye view to see how serious Zack was being before taking another sip. 

“Shinra’s been itching to bring Aerith back to HQ, you know,” Cloud said. “She knows that. Hojo is relentless about it, and so is President Shinra.”

Zack slammed his drink on the bar top. “That son of a bitch Hojo...he won’t stop until Aerith comes back to the company on her own will. Knowing her, she’ll do it if someone she cares about is in jeopardy.”

“What the hell happened to you, Zack?” Cloud asked bitterly. “You were the one who told me to embrace my dreams and no matter what happened, that I needed to protect my honor as SOLDIER. Now, you joined a bunch of rebels who want to bring Shinra down? Is that what you call redemption?”

Zack glared. “I don’t need to seek forgiveness from Shinra for anything that I’ve done so far. Cloud, don’t you remember what happened in Nibelheim all those years ago? You and Tifa both don’t remember?”

“No,” Cloud said, shaking his head. “I didn’t even know Tifa before any of this. I didn’t even know she was from Nibelheim too...why don’t I remember it?”

“I don’t know, but that’s something the two of you need to work through,” Zack said. “I can’t go back on years of history between the two of you. I don’t even know all of it. I only know the gist of what was implied back when we first went out to the village.”

Cloud gripped his glass. It had been years since he went to Nibelheim. He couldn’t even remember the events of that night, nor did he remember much about what all occurred the years before. Zack kept saying he and Tifa were childhood friends, but he couldn’t even remember her living in the same town. It was like she had been erased somehow. 

“I don’t remember her, at all,” Cloud said. “I just found her at Wall Market one night, and that was it. I helped her, and that’s the way it went. I don’t have much aside from that. She didn’t even remember where she came from, and that she came out of the hospital one night and ended up beneath the plate.”

The SOLDIER then snarled. “I don’t even know how I ended up in Midgar either. If everything you’re saying is true, then how did I end up here? Why can’t I remember anything? Why can you remember things if you were there with me that night in Nibelheim?”

Zack shook his head. “I was the one...who carried you to Midgar. We were on our way back to start our lives as mercenaries. But, something happened and I had to leave you.”

“Zack…”

His former friend slowly poured himself another drink. The amber liquid glowed within the dim lighting at the bar, and Zack’s blue eyes honed in on the glass, almost as if he was trying to see something deep within it. 

“Shinra’s fallen, Cloud. Like I told you before, SOLDIER is like a den of monsters. Don’t go inside.” The ex-SOLDIER sighed. “I don’t know man. Everything I thought I knew about the program. What I believed in the cause, it was nothing but a bunch of lies. Shinra has been hiding so many secrets from the public about what they really do, and how much they’re hurting folks...it ain’t right.”

Cloud gripped his drink tightly, and felt vindictive.

“But, turning your back on your friend because you suddenly feel heroic doesn’t sit well with me,” Cloud replied darkly. “I don’t know what else you want me to do.”

“Remember. Try and remember everything that happened, Cloud,” Zack almost pleaded. “You, Tifa…Nibelheim. Everything that happened that night five years ago? It’s so important that you both remember what happened to you. If you don’t….then it’ll all have been for  _ nothing _ .”

The two men sat silently. Each taking a quiet sip from their drinks. Cloud heard the elevator coming up, meaning that the meeting downstairs was over. Which meant that Tifa would soon be making her reappearance. 

“Cloud...does it have to be this way?” Zack asked quietly. “Are you really willing to turn against the people who genuinely care about you?”

“Tell that to Aerith,” Cloud said harshly. He heard footsteps and soon saw Tifa making her way to the other side, visibly upset about something. She poured herself some water and then drank it, her apparent discomfort made Cloud writhe inside. 

Zack stood up. “I’m going to finish my business with the gang.” He nodded towards Avalanche who gathered around each other. “But...I’m gonna have to ask you to leave and not come back. This is a private affair.”

Cloud silently nodded. So that was that. They weren’t going to be able to get past this for as long as Cloud’s still with Shinra. Tifa seemed to be eavesdropping, but attempted to appear busy with filling up glasses as Barret demanded she “break out the good stuff.”

“If I see you at the reactor, I won’t show restraint just because we were friends,” the blonde said to Zack who had his back turned. “Next time I see you...I have to kill you.”

He couldn’t see Zack’s reaction, but he could imagine his former friend’s face struggling with trying to appear emotionless. It was breaking his own confidence to turn against someone who was his friend. 

“Suit yourself,” Zack responded. He silently made his way over to the tables, where the Avalanche members cheered for their upcoming mission. Cloud knew that he’d have to report them. It was in his job description. It wasn’t the thing he wanted to do, but tomorrow...he had to protect the reactor from exploding. 

He returned his attention to Tifa, who appeared distant and uncomfortable. 

“What’s wrong?” Cloud asked. “Thought you’d be like your friends over there, celebrating another assault on Shinra.”

He was startled to see that she was tearing up a little. 

“I know we need to think big if we’re gonna make a difference...but not like this,” Tifa said in a hushed whisper. “I just….I feel trapped!”

Something in Cloud started waking itself up. Something that Tifa said just then felt incredibly intimate and almost familiar.Cloud’s instinct was to wrap her in his arms and to rescue her from whatever danger she was putting herself. 

“If it doesn’t feel right, then don’t do it,” Cloud answered. She merely shook her head. “I’m...a little upset that you didn’t feel like you could tell me you were in Avalanche.”

“Do you blame me?” Tifa asked quietly. “After everything that just happened with Zack...how do I know that you won’t turn on me too? I know SOLDIER means a lot to you, but I’m not someone you can protect if you want to keep your job. I know it’s a lot to think about, but...it’s your choice. I can’t make it for you.”

Cloud grew frustrated, but knew Tifa had a point. If she felt that she couldn’t go to him, then he hadn’t earned her complete trust yet. Nor, did he feel himself completely trusting someone he hadn’t known for that long either. Yet, it still hurt to hear. 

“Aerith knows about Zack,” Cloud said flatly. “She knows that he’s in Avalanche.”

“I figured as much,” Tifa said, taking another sip of water. “She has a way of knowing things, even before you really say anything. It’s almost like a gift she has.”

“Tell me about it,” he replied. “But I just have a hard time understanding why he wouldn’t seek her out again after all these years. He says it’s to protect her, but protect her from what?”

“Only those two really know,” Tifa said. “Anyways, I know you’re going to be busy tomorrow....and we’re gonna be busy tomorrow. But, I guess I’m not sure where that leaves things...with us.”

Cloud wanted to avoid approaching the topic. They had just enjoyed their first date together, but now, they’re on opposite sides about to go on a mission either to blow up a reactor, or to defend it. Now, Cloud has to choose between his job or his blossoming relationship with Tifa. 

It wasn’t simple, and that could mean a whole slew of different ramifications made from a single choice. Cloud sometimes wondered if there were any options if he could have both, yet, he knows that it’s impossible to be committed to SOLDIER and yet, pursue anything with someone from a terrorist organization. It just wouldn’t work out. 

“I’m sorry, Tifa.”

The bartender merely nodded, her eyes closed. “I guess...things aren’t meant to be, huh?”   
“Guess not.”

Cloud slowly rose from his seat, and turned around to leave. The rest of Avalanche had gotten drunk, Zack leading them through a chorus of some type of song that he didn’t know. Just as he took several steps, he felt a pair of eyes on his back, knowing full well that Tifa was watching him leave the bar.

He couldn’t bear to look, instead he kept walking past everyone and out into the cold night. 


	13. The Bombing Run

  
  


Tifa jolted awake, feeling cold sweat running down her back and her forehead. She was drenched, and immediately, she wondered if she was sick. 

Yet, she knew it was the case of nerves. In a few hours, she’d be heading out onto the train for the bombing mission and possibly destroy hundreds of innocent lives in the process. Tifa was trapped and there was no way out of it. Not unless she could break her own leg within the next hour, which she knew was a last ditch effort. 

The bartender turned her head and couldn’t hear through the wall next door, meaning that Cloud probably got out early and was guarding the Sector 5 Reactor before Avalanche got there. She sighed, knowing that this would be the end of them. There’d be no way the two of them could pursue anything now, and to think things were going well for the both of them. 

“So much for that,” she mumbled. Tifa slowly rose herself from bed and started getting ready for the mission. She brushed her teeth, brushed out her hair and tied it into the signature dolphin-tail, and then she started getting dressed. The fighter pulled on her knuckles and gloves, and laced up her red boots. 

Just as she was about to head out, she noticed the lone green Materia glowing in one of the slots. It was from Cloud when he came by that one night. Tifa was about to leave without it, but decided against it and took it with her for safe keeping. She might need it. 

There was a knock at her door. Tifa walked over and opened it, and was disappointed to see that it was Zack. He leaned up against the railing, as if he was making sure she wouldn’t back out from the mission. 

“Morning!” He said cheerfully, though Tifa couldn’t help but sigh. “Why the long face? We’ll be done in no time and you can get back to your day.”

She turned around silently and closed her apartment door, locking it. “That’s not the point,” Tifa said, shaking her head. “I just...forget it.”

There was some tension between the two of them, but it appeared that Zack was trying to be empathetic to her situation. Knowing that the person she started falling for was now against them. 

“Hey, I know that things got rough last night,” Zack said. “But, we have to keep moving forward. Whether Cloud is going to stop us or not. Our mission--”

“This is _your_ mission,” Tifa emphasized through gritted teeth. “Not mine.” She sighed again. “I’m sorry, but I just want to get this done and over with.”

“Understood.” The ex-SOLDIER nodded and motioned for Tifa to follow him. “Barret’s already waiting for us at the station. Biggs went out earlier to scope out the place and to make sure that no one’s going to get in our way. So far so good.”

Tifa nodded as she started jogging after him. Her hair flew out behind her, and her eyes were focused on the road ahead. She knew that soon they’d be getting on the train and getting to Sector 5 as soon as possible. Through this though, she wondered if Cloud was going to be there, waiting for them and ready to strike them down. 

She couldn’t bear to think of him as an enemy. The man she got to know from their excursion to the top of the plate seemed more real and genuine to her that it’d be hard to see him as someone who would be willing to go all the way and take away an actual life. 

_Then again,_ Tifa thought, _he’s in SOLDIER. They’re not above that sort of thing...are they?_

“Tifa? We’re here.”

The bartender regained her attention and saw that they arrived at the platform at the train station. Barret nodded at them. “Rise and shine, girl.”

“Morning,” she said with a nod. “Sleep well?”

“Like a baby,” Barret said. “I know you’re new to this, but the butterflies will go away once you set the bomb and you’ll be back on the train.”

He paused. “I’m guessin’ you and SOLDIER boy had a spat last night?”

Tifa’s eyes widened. “I...um…”

“Relax, Tifa,” Barret said. “It was pretty obvious that there was something going on between the two of you. It’s not hard to see. But, I’m glad to see you know what’s a priority and what isn’t. Says a lot about you.”

“Right…” Tifa said, feigning a smile. “Thanks.”

“Enough of that,” Zack said. “We’re gonna miss our train if we don’t cut the small talk right now.”

“Boss gets a little tense before missions,” Barret said. “But no worries, I trust his judgment and leadership. Respect the hell outta him.”

Soon, Tifa could hear the train whistle and saw the front engine rolling closer. She felt her heart thud against her chest, and her eyes glazing over. This wasn’t really going to happen was it? The girl knew that she couldn’t bail out now. Not with the train literally pulling to a stop in front of her. 

She couldn’t imagine how mercenaries or anyone could go through with missions like these for profit, or in Barret’s case, retribution against a corporation for stealing the lifeforce of the Planet. What about her? What was her motive? She didn’t even remember _what_ her motive was, nor could she dig deep to find a reason enough to make her want to go through with this. 

“Tifa, you better get on,” Zack called out to her. She immediately shook her head and hopped on board, the doors closing behind her. 

The train car was crowded and filled with commuters getting ready to head topside for work. Many were ordinary people dressed in suits or skirts, meaning they worked for Shinra. The vast majority of Midgardians were employed through the company, making it hard to think of anyone who really wasn’t. 

Tifa couldn’t help but observe them all. They didn’t seem bothered by the slightest that they were going to work for a supposed evil place, many of them seemed actually quite nice. They were busy talking on their phones or reading through documents as if they’re preparing for a case or looking through manuscripts. 

There wasn’t really anyone who struck her as someone who deserved to die for simply working at Shinra. Barret, however, sat down on one of the benches, many people gave him the side eye before scooting over. They didn’t want anything to do with them, and he made it clear that he didn’t really think highly of them either.

“Hey, Zack?” Tifa whispered. “Do you think it’s a good idea for Barret to be mouthing out Shinra employees?” She kept watching him from afar and noted how tense he seemed to be arguing with someone who appeared to be high up in management in his red suit. “He might give away---”

“I wouldn’t worry too much about it,” Zack replied quietly. “Yeah, Barret is quick to get into fights with anyone from Shinra, but I don’t think they’re going to make a huge deal out of it. He’s pretty well-known for his anti-Shinra opinions.”

“We know he’s a good guy,” Tifa replied urgently. “But, I don’t think they know that.” She nodded towards the other people on the train who appeared uncomfortable with Barret’s growing vitriol. “Shouldn’t we be doing something?”

“I’ll take care of it.” Zack slowly got up and moved towards Barret and sat down next to him. Soon, he appeared to be calming Barret down and the two ended up just talking to each other, leaving the Shinra manager to look even more annoyed with the disturbance. 

Tifa sighed in relief. With everyone in high alert since the first bombing, they couldn’t take any chances to draw more attention to themselves. Not with Shinra implementing more security measures on the commute up to the plate. She didn’t want to think what could possibly lead to their capture or worse….execution. 

She took a look out the zooming windows, the tunnel lights lighting up the inside of the train car, casting shadows on passengers’ faces. Tifa felt her heart continuing to beat rapidly. She didn’t know why she was going through with this, and there was no one who would be saving her. No one. Perhaps this was her punishment for being willing to do horrible things for the sake of justice.

Was it really justice though? Or is it revenge? The two seemed to be linked together, each one teetering the line that would fall into an absolute good or evil. Tifa pressed her forehead up against the cold glass window. She closed her eyes, trying to imagine herself back to the night she and Cloud went topside. It was the best night she could remember, but now they were enemies. 

_I wonder if I’ll be able to fight against him if I do see him_ , Tifa thought. _He wouldn’t hesitate...but I might._

Cloud possibly being willing to strike them all dead made Tifa cringe. She knew she’d have to protect Zack and Barret, but she never wanted to be the one to try and fight against someone she remotely cared about. Now, her next-door neighbor would be someone she’d have to kill herself if it came down to it. 

Tifa looked down at her gloves and tightened them. The single green Materia orb that was inserted into a slot glowed. She shook her head. Even though they hadn’t talked, Cloud was still helping her in a way. The orb might come in handy when she needs to cure herself or the others. 

But it left a bitter pill to swallow from its origins and what lies ahead for the rest of the group. 

Suddenly, the lights flashed inside the car. _Shinra security checkpoint. Scanning. Analyzing identification of all passengers inside Car #1._

“Here we go…” Tifa muttered under her breath. She saw the scanners hovering above her and all the other passengers inside the car. Jessie gave them all fake IDs so that they wouldn’t raise any suspicions by Shinra once they advanced through the security checkpoint. 

For a moment, there was nothing but the sound of the rattling wheels of the train. Tifa wondered if everything went accordingly, until sirens started blaring rapidly, prompting Zack and Barret to stand up immediately. Their eyes alert. 

_“Security detected three unidentified passengers in the car! Suspicious characters detected! Initiating lockdown sequence---”_

“Dammit!” Zack shouted. He turned to Barret and Tifa. “We gotta get out of this car. Hurry! Run!” 

The three started pushing themselves through the crowded train car. As they approached the door leading into the next car, multiple drones burst through the train windows, scattering glass around them as they aimed their red lasers on the three of them. 

“Shit!” Barret shouted. He drew his gun arm and started shooting at the drones, scattering them. Numerous passengers screamed and ran about the car. One drone honed in on a mother and child, prompting Tifa to look in horror. Without thinking, she immediately ran directly in between the drone and the passengers and kicked the drone out the window, where it exploded against the tracks from impact. 

“Hurry!” Tifa directed. “Get into the luggage car! Get away from here!” 

The passengers started making their way to the car just as Tifa suggested. She kept making sure people were moving down the cars. She didn’t care if they were Shinra employees or not. She was not going to allow people to die. She didn’t want their blood on her hands. 

Zack and Barret were already ahead of her, clearing the cars from all passengers and making them move down the car. Tifa found the Shinra manager who was arguing with Barret before who seemed so confused and frightened. She immediately grabbed his shoulders and pushed him towards safety. 

“Hurry! You’ve got to get outta here,” Tifa shouted at the manager while continuing to shove him towards safety. Drones were flying ahead of her, while Zack and Barret were dispatching them. 

“What are you doing?!” The manager yelled. 

“Trying to keep you alive,” Tifa said through gritted teeth. Tears were starting to form in the corner of her eyes. She didn’t want any of this. Any of it….

“But I’m with Shinra! I’m the enemy,” the manager said bewildered. 

“I don’t care!” Tiaf shouted at him. She felt her heart continuing to pound against her chest. “I don’t want anyone to die, please!”

The manager looked conflicted, and then with a little hesitation obliged. “I’ll...look after the others.” He turned around and let Tifa slide the compartment door shut. She then felt fury rise within her as she turned around to face the drones floating around, aiming their sights at her. 

“My turn.” She ran forward, delivered a devastating punch against one of the drones that immediately flew out one of the side windows, and a distant explosion could be heard. Yet, dozens more crawled into the car. 

“There’s too many of them!” Tifa shouted as Zack and Barret got together with her and got into their defensive formation.

“We can handle them!” Barret shouted. He kept firing rounds, destroying multiple drones but more replaced them. 

“The station is going to be crawling with security!” Zack shouted through the commotion. “We gotta jump!”

“That’s a Biggs Plan E!” Barret yelled, but he immediately went over to the side. Tifa eyed the emergency brake system that would help with slowing down the speed of the train. Zack nodded to her. Barret immediately shot out the metal door, and kicked through it, letting it hit against the tracks. 

Tifa summoned her strength to punch the emergency brake, causing the train to jolt from the sudden resistance against its wheels. While still running at high speed, the wheels screeched against the metal tracks, red hot sparks flew all around them like fireflies. 

Barret looked hesitant at first, staring outside the train car. “I’m gonna do it! I’m gonna do it. Gonna show you how it’s done!” Within a second, Barret hurled himself off the train and disappeared. Tifa felt herself grow scared at the rushing speeds. At this rate, she could get seriously hurt and they weren’t even at the reactor yet. 

“Tifa!”

She was so focused on what was happening that she herself froze at the sight. This wasn’t happening. She was too scared to take the leap herself. Tifa closed her eyes, trying to settle her breathing. She felt someone place their hand on her back. For a moment, she opened her eyes and saw Cloud holding her and reassuring her that everything would be alright. 

Suddenly, Tifa felt her body fly through the air and tumbled around Cloud's body covering her from the sparks and the two skidded on the ground. It hurt only a little, their bodies rolling on top of each other as the train zoomed past them. There was so much dust rising above them, and soon enough, they slowed. Tifa ended up on top. 

She looked down, expecting to see Cloud, instead, was Zack who looked uncomfortable. He placed both hands on her back and she suddenly felt herself shake from the jump itself. Instead of Cloud, there was Zack. His blue eyes locked into her carmine ones, and suddenly, Tifa felt her heart pounding even more. 

“You OK?” Zack asked quietly. He seemed to be searching her eyes for an answer. Tifa didn’t want to leave his embrace, feeling safe there. For the first time since she got to know him, Zack seemed genuinely concerned about her well-being. 

“Y-Yeah,” she said, her face whitening from the shock. She slowly got off of Zack with his help and the two awkwardly stared at each other. Suddenly, there was a beeping noise and the two stared off into the tunnel and saw numerous drones heading their way. 

“Alright, ready?” Zack asked, gripping the handle of the Buster Sword. 

“Ready!” Tifa said firmly as she took her fighting stance. The two started engaging the robots, immediately fighting through the crunch of metal and avoiding shots fired from the drones as they whizzed around them, trying to neutralize the threat. 

Tifa rolled on the tracks and avoided multiple shots. She summoned her inner strength and ran ahead. She hopped onto the face of the drone before somersaulting backwards mid-air, causing the robot to explode. Just as she was about to turn and help Zack, she heard someone yelling down further in Tunnel H. 

“Barret!” Tifa shouted. She turned to Zack. “Zack! Barret!”

“Hang on!” Zack immediately sliced through the robot he was entangled with and ran with Tifa down the tunnel. As they breathed heavily, heading down the tunnel Tifa couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed about what happened before as they made their way to Barret’s location. 

“Hey...thanks for helping me back there on the train,” Tifa breathed. She felt a blush rush to her face. The impact of the fall...her on top of Zack…”You know, helping me jump.”

“No problem,” Zack said with a grin. “You’re pretty light, you know.”

“Always know what to say, don’t you?” Tifa teased, though she felt herself slowly getting comfortable around Zack. This wasn’t exactly what she’d thought would happen on a high adrenaline mission, but here she was, exchanging jokes with the leader of Avalanche. Cloud’s former best friend. 

Soon, the two reunited with Barret and immediately dispatched more security drones. They would need to get into Sector 5’s reactor, but they didn’t know where they were. Tunnels intersected with each other, and they could be miles beneath the surface of the plate. 

Tifa examined the maps on the wall, and pointed out what she thought would be the best route to take to get to their destination. “If we take this tunnel, we should get there soon,” Tifa said quietly. “We just need to make our way to the reactor beneath the plate.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Zack said urgently. He then turned to Barret. “Did you get any messages from Biggs while out here?”

“Yeah, he’s done clearing out the area,” the man replied casually. “Funny enough, there weren’t any Shinra guards or anything waiting for us. It was empty.”

“Huh? After all of that, there’s no one coming after us?” Tifa asked worriedly. 

“Too late to back out now,” Zack said gently. He then nodded. “It’ll be OK, Tifa. Really. You got two tough guys to protect you.”

She giggled slightly. “I’ll try to remember that.”

They navigated the maze of pipework and tunnels, eventually finding themselves at the Sector 5 Reactor. They moved through rotating fans and avoided the slow moving blades. The three met up with Biggs who immediately wished them luck and headed down the passage ways to get back to base. 

Tifa wished he’d stick around longer, but she knew they needed to finish the mission. She hopped onto one of the massive pipes and slid down it on her feet, feeling like a skateboarder as she made it down several feet before landing gracefully. Barret and Zack reunited with her at the bottom and made their way to the reactor’s core. 

“You know, this layout’s pretty similar to the first reactor,” Barret said, eyeing Zack.

“They’re all different in some ways, but the layout is pretty similar,” he responded. Zack started moving his way through the staircases. His eyes locked in on the reactor core. “Bingo.”

Tifa steadied her breathing as they all made their way down the stairs and towards the center of the reactor. Steam burst from several pipes as they slowly and cautiously continued. “Seriously...there’s no one who’s trying to stop us right now?” She asked. “I thought...with everything that they’d be swarming us by now.”

“I’m not gonna question it,” Barret said. “Makes our jobs a hell lot easier.”

“Still, don’t lower your guard,” Zack said. “They’re probably watching us through cameras right now. Everywhere there’s security cameras documenting our every move.”

“Shit,” Tifa said, her eyes widening. “Why didn’t you say something sooner?”

“Again, too late to back out now,” Zack said. “It’ll be fine. We plant the bomb and get out of here. This explosive Jessie created isn’t as time sensitive as the one that blew up the Sector 1 reactor. You have a remote controller. We press the button once we’re out of here.”

Zack was about to set the bomb when Tifa started getting visions in her head. Painful images that flashed through her head that terrified her. 

_ “Papa…he did this to you, didn’t he? Mako, SOLDIER, Shinra...I’m sick of this...I’m sick of all of this!” She sobbed over the body of her father, stained in blood. A long sword laid next to him. Tifa stood up, wearing her cowgirl outfit and grabbed the sword. With steely resolve, a grief stricken girl started walking toward the center of the reactor.  _

“Tifa?” Barret called out to her. 

Tifa shook her head and felt something lock in her throat. Those images...were they of her past? Why did it seem so real to her? Were they her memories? She felt shaken by what she had seen. A man who was dead in cold blood. Was that her father? Where were they?

“Tifa! Are you OK?” Zack asked quizzically. “I’m about to set the bomb. Just wanted to see if you were alright.”

“I-I’m OK.” Tifa said, shaking her head. “I just had something pop up in my head. Nothing to worry about.”

“Let’s cut the small talk and get the hell outta here,” Barret snarled. “The smell of mako in here is stinkin’ real bad.”

“Right.” Zack set the bomb and then pressed several buttons to lock it. A timer for 20 minutes popped up on the screen in the familiar red numbers that slowly started ticking. 

“Well, that should be everything.” Zack then frowned. “Shinra will be here soon with their security teams.”

Tifa looked down at her boots, thinking about what Cloud told her the previous night. She wished that she was just back at home in Stargazer Heights, waiting for her neighbor to come home and they’d talk through the evening as if it was just the two of them. 

But that last interaction they had together would be one as adversaries. He knew that she joined Avalanche, and that as a Shinra SOLDIER, he’d be obligated to terminate her if he ever caught her attempting to destroy the reactors. She knew that much anyway. 

“C’mon!” Zack shouted, breaking through her thoughts. “We need to get going. If we don’t, then Shinra will be all over us and we need to get out of here before the bomb goes off.”

The three Avalanche members nodded at each other before running back through the familiar metal mazes that connected them to the various passageways and stairwells that would eventually lead them out through the front entrance of the reactor. 

Tifa felt consumed by her thoughts, her legs running on their own. She couldn’t bear the thought of never being able to look Cloud in the eye anymore. He seemed serious in choosing his duty over their friendship...and her struggling to come to terms with how she started feeling towards him, it was beginning to grow smaller in the distance. She was running away from her problems. 

Running. She always knew what that felt like. She was running away from responsibility. She was running away from the person she thought she was. Tifa Lockhart. A terrorist, and an accomplice to murdering innocent people who had nothing to do with Shinra’s exploitation of the Planet. She just needed money and to hold people accountable for doing horrendous things.

Did that make her a monster herself too? Justice with anger was just that much closer to transforming itself into its ugly and evil twin: revenge. Why did she want to destroy Shinra? She wasn’t sure, but something deep inside of her woke up when Zack revealed that she and Cloud knew each other back in the day. Yet, they couldn’t remember anything about their past, or what they meant to each other. Instead, they’re on opposing sides that threatened to split everything apart, and it was something that Tifa didn’t want to think about. She just couldn’t bear to think of Cloud as an enemy. She just couldn’t.

Tifa nodded. Soon, the three made it to the center of the reactor with the bomb in place. Tifa looked around them to see if someone would suddenly come out of the shadows and start firing at them. Yet, no one was there. It felt eerily too easy...

It took several minutes, but eventually the group found themselves outside of the reactor without running into anyone from Shinra. Barret immediately ran off to one side and motioned for Tifa and Zack to follow. 

“This way!”

Just as they were about to escape to their freedom, they were surrounded by Shinra forces, guns aimed at them. Tifa shuddered. They were trapped. 

“Well, what’d I tell you? Just because we were friends, doesn’t mean I’m gonna show restraint.”

Tifa closed her eyes and turned around. Cloud stood off to the side with a new sword and his eyes focused on the group. He was here and he looked ready to take them all down. This was it.


	14. A Fall Into Flowers

The SOLDIER’s eyes locked with the group of eco-terrorists who stood at the ready.  _ So, this is what they decided,  _ Cloud thought to himself. He slowly walked toward the group on the bridge and drew his sword, aimed at Barret, Tifa and Zack on the bridge. 

Seconds were ticking away, and the four of them stared at each other in gridlock. Standing behind him was the massive cyber soldier known as Air Buster. The robot slowly made its way over to the middle of the bridge with Zack, Tifa and Barret in its sights. Air Buster analyzed the situation, locking its eyes on its targets.

“It doesn’t have to be this way, Cloud!” Zack shouted over the whirring of Air Buster’s engines. “C’mon man!”

“Let it go, Zack!” Barret shouted toward him. “Once a Shinra rat, always a Shinra rat.”

The SOLDIER didn’t say anything in response, instead, his mako-blue eyes locked on Tifa who seemed helpless in this situation. He didn’t like how small she looked, how terrified she was to get caught up in all of this. Yet, Cloud was obligated to bring everyone to justice, yet, he didn’t feel like he was doing what was right at this point. Even if it was against his former best friend and the girl he was starting to care for quite a bit.

“Cloud...you don’t have to do this,” Tifa said. Her eyes staring deep into his soul. “Let us go!”

“Tifa, you know that I can’t do that,” Cloud replied flatly. “No matter how much this hurts, you know why I can’t do that.”

Suddenly, multiple drones flew overhead and started gathering together in formation. Shinra soldiers stood off to the sides, aiming their guns at them. The drones began projecting an enormous hologram that showed the image of President Shinra who looked down at all of them. 

“President Shinra!” Barret growled. He drew his gun arm, and shot at the drones, though they managed to avoid any lasting damage. The hologram flickered slightly, but the massive image remained intact. 

“I was beginning to wonder if I’d see you traitors here at Sector 5.” President Shinra cocked his eyebrow. “Well, long time no see Zack.”

“It’s been a while Mr. President,” Zack said flatly. “Then again, bet you didn’t expect me to be alive, did you?”

“Well, you certainly exceeded my expectations,” President Shinra replied casually. “What a shame. You were quite the prodigy. At least when we exterminate you, I’ll have Shinra harvest your bodies for research so nothing goes to waste.”

“How thoughtful,” Barret growled at the hologram. “What happens if we win? Can we run up to Shinra HQ and smother your ass with our gratitude?”

President Shinra smirked. He then motioned for Cloud to begin his mission. “Well, it’s been a pleasure, but I’ll leave my SOLDIER associate to finish you off. You’ve been a pain in my side for years, but it’s finally time to part ways...permanently.”

He then turned to Cloud and nodded. The ex-SOLDIER drew his weapon and started making his way towards Avalanche, his eyes glinting from the glow of the fluorescent lighting that shined on the bridge. Each step he took, the closer he felt to smelling blood and to ending this nonsense. 

Cloud glared at the three people standing in front of him. Air Buster started hovering and loading its weapons. He locked eyes with Tifa, who appeared distressed and hopeless for that one moment. It was a look that sent a pang of regret within him and it was unbearable. He then knew what was happening...he was hesitating.

_ Damn it _ , Cloud thought.  _ Why does she do this to me? _

“Cloud…” Tifa said, her eyes watering. “Please.”

“Well?” The hologram of President Shinra urged. “Earn your honor, SOLDIER. Exterminate them!” 

Cloud first looked at Zack who appeared conflicted, but was standing at the ready. Barret had his gun locked onto him, and Tifa was on the verge of tears. Her fists were clenched and tears were openly rolling down her face. She didn’t want to fight him. He didn’t want to fight her. 

_ I don’t know why, but, I can’t stand to see her cry,  _ Cloud thought to himself.  _ You know what you said about making a choice and that defines us? I hope you’re right about that.  _

It was then, Cloud decided to make a choice. Suddenly, he turned and swiftly dispatched several of the droids from the air. They cracked and exploded in fiery flames. Debris scattered about them, as Cloud locked eyes with the hologram of President Shinra who gazed at him in disbelief. 

Tifa, Barret and Zack looked shocked at Cloud’s betrayal of Shinra, and the Air Buster started beeping, indicating that it was analyzing the situation at hand and the change in dynamics. The giant hologram started flickering, meaning it would soon deactivate. 

“So, you’ve chosen death,” President Shinra said grimly. He then vanished, sending spheres of light throughout the vicinity, leaving the four people to contend with a massive mechanical soldier aiming its rockets at them. 

“Does this mean that you’re joining us now?” Tifa shouted to Cloud. “Did you just---”

“Cut the chatter, we’ll talk about it more later!” Cloud interrupted sharply. “We gotta take down this thing!”

“Damn right!” Barret shouted, “C’mon Zack! Now!”

Zack immediately ran forward with his Buster Sword and tried to slash through its head, though, the robot immediately grabbed him and slammed him against the metal bridge, knocking the wind out of him. Cloud then swung his sword and slashed through the gears with all of his strength, barely putting a dent in Air Buster. 

Tifa sprang forward and leapt into the air. She landed on its face with her feet, and with all her might, flipped backward, somersaulting it in the face with her legs before landing on the ground gracefully. However, Air Buster flipped its back guns and shot at her, narrowly missing its target. 

While everyone was fighting, Barret started overcharging his gun arm. Within seconds a huge burst of energy shot from his gun, blasting into Air Buster’s controls. It started overloading, sparks began to fly. 

“Shit’s gonna blow!” Barret shouted. Then through the mayhem, Air Buster exploded and crumbled the metal bridge right where it stood. 

Zack, Tifa and Barret were knocked off to one side while Cloud felt the sturdiness of the ground below him vanish, prompting him to immediately grab a metal piece that jutted out from where the bridge used to be. He gripped hard on it, grimacing at the blood pouring from the hand where the metal sliced into it. 

He looked down and closed his eyes. The height was disorienting and if he let go, he most likely would die. This wasn’t exactly how he planned to go down. All with hunks of metal and rubble. It probably wouldn’t be very pleasant.

“Cloud!”

The ex-SOLDIER turned his head and saw Tifa and the others watching him from the other side of the wide chasm where the bridge used to connect. He couldn’t bear the sight of seeing Tifa cry, and tried to keep his panic minimal and collect himself. 

“Guys, we have to go!” Barret shouted at Zack and Tifa. “Reactor’s gonna blow any second. We have to go!”

“Barret’s right, Tifa,” Zack said to her. He then turned his attention to Cloud. “Cloud! We...W-we…”

“Save your breath, Zack!” Cloud shouted back at him. He swung helplessly. “It’s no good. Just take Tifa and get the hell outta here!”

“We...we were wrong about you,” Barret said almost apologetically. “Shit, you had us going for a real long time.”

Tifa reached out to him. “Cloud! You can’t die yet! Not here! I-I wanted to tell you something and I can’t do that unless you’re alive!”

Cloud looked behind him. “I know, Tifa.” He gritted his teeth and tried to pull himself upward. “Dammit. I can’t hold on much longer. Leave before the bomb goes off!”

Alarms were sounding everywhere, but Cloud could only hear the sound of his rapidly beating heart threatening to burst from how fast it was going. He felt his arms growing tired, knowing that he’ll have to let go eventually. This was possibly one of the worst situations he had ever been, and all he could think about was not having the chance to tell Tifa how he felt about her, and mostly, to tell her how sorry he was for making her doubt him. 

Suddenly, the reactor exploded and the shockwaves shook the bridge so much that Cloud ended up letting go of the piece of metal and started free falling through the air. He couldn’t tell if the screaming was from the three people staring down in horror, or if the screams were his own. 

* * *

_ You took a hard fall.  _

I do that a lot, I guess.

_ Well, now that we’re talking to each other let’s try to remember....what did Tifa mean to you back then? _

You mean at the reactor?

_ No. Before then. Way before. Zack said that you guys shared a connection. It centers around Nibelheim. But, Tifa doesn’t remember either. She doesn’t even remember living there. What happened? _

I don’t know...it’s hard to think about it. 

_ Take it easy, we’ll straighten things out. Right now, can you walk?  _

_ Hello? Cloud? Are you OK? _

Yeah...I think so. Did you say something?

“Cloud!”

The ex-SOLDIER opened his eyes and found himself in the familiar setting of the Sector 5 Church. He groaned and found that Aerith was staring at him with concern. 

“What happened?” Cloud asked. He checked himself for any broken bones and sighed with relief. He seemed to be in one piece. “How did I end up back in here?”

“You fell through the ceiling,” Aerith pointed upward and Cloud couldn’t help but slightly laugh at the sight of the hole he created a while back. “Scared me quite a bit.” The flower girl sighed and shook her head. “Luckily, my flowers cushioned your fall, but you really need to stop crushing them so much.”

Cloud immediately sprang and apologized for landing in them. “Guess that’s an old habit, right?”

“I’d say so,” Aerith said with a smile. She then frowned. “So what exactly happened up there? There was a huge explosion and all of a sudden, you just crashed through the roof.”

“I...was dealing with Avalanche and I couldn’t go through with executing them,” Cloud replied with a mumble. Aerith raised her eyebrows. “Let’s just say that I’m no longer employed at Shinra.”

Cloud then shook the dirt from his uniform and groaned at the soreness. “Well, I guess that’s settled. But, I wanna go to Seventh Heaven and check on Tifa.” He then frowned at the sight of the golden light pouring through the church. “How...long was I knocked out for?”

“Several hours, give or take,” Aerith said. She tilted her head. “You…you’re gonna be on the run now, aren’t you?”

Cloud then sighed again. “I’d probably be expecting the Turks at some point. Now that I’m a traitor, they’re not gonna exercise restraint when it comes to getting you back into HQ.”

“I wouldn’t worry too much about that right now,” Aerith said. She paused. “Tell me...what’s got you switching sides all of the sudden? Why didn’t you go through with it?”

“I just had a change of heart, that’s all.”

“Oh, I’m sure you did.” Aerith looked annoyed. “We’ve been friends for a long time, Cloud. The least you can do is be honest with me. I promise I won’t get mad.”

“Right.”

“I’m guessing he was there too?” Aerith asked casually. Her voice was steady, but her eyes glowed. “Was he…”

“He’s alive, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

“I’m glad that he is,” Aerith said softly. She paused. “But, now the question is...what’s going to happen now?”

“I don’t know. I’m out of the job, and now I’m gonna have to go track those three down and see if they’re OK.”

“Well, don’t let me stop you then.” Aerith immediately stood up and dusted her dress. “I’m gonna come with you.”

“Of course you are,” Cloud said. “You never change your mind.”

“I’m glad you get that about me.”

Aerith’s green eyes glowed mysteriously before a small sad smile appeared on her lips. “I’m guessing she was one of the people you ran into up there on the plate?”

“How did you know that?” Cloud asked curiously. “That’s...right.”

“You should know by now that I’m good at guessing,” Aerith teased. “She was one of the people you saw and you just couldn’t do it because...well, she means a lot to you.”

Again, Aerith had a way of making uncomfortable observations that made Cloud squirm slightly. He tried to shake it off and slowly walked out of the flower bed, rustling the leaves and tendrils studded with yellow blossoms. 

“I guess you can call it that,” Cloud said quietly. “I just don’t know where things stand now, knowing that she’s on the other side and I’m...well, I just showed her that I was willing to turn on Shinra for them. Now, I don’t even know if they made it out alive.”

“Did you try calling her?” Aerith asked. “Maybe she’ll pick up.”

Cloud looked down into his pockets and groaned. “My phone’s not with me. It must’ve fallen out during the explosion. Damn it.”

“Here, let me give her a call.”

Aerith pulled out her own phone and started dialing. There was some ringing before it jumped straight to Tifa’s voicemail box. She left a message, saying that Cloud was alright and that he was in Sector 5 with her. She then closed her phone and turned back to Cloud with a smile.

“Now that’s taken care of, let’s get you cleaned up.”

She silently took out a white rag she carried around in her pocket and wiped the soot from his face. Cloud winced, and was surprised to see red staining the cloth. 

“You got a cut on your face,” Aerith said, she gently placed a hand on it, letting it start to heal with some magic. “It might be a scar, but better than letting it get infected.”

“Thanks.”

Cloud sighed as a gentle warmth started radiating from where Aerith touched him, and he lifted a finger to touch it and smiled. It was good as new. “You’re good at that.”

“Oh? Now you’ve noticed?” Aerith said with a huff. The two laughed. “Well, let’s get going to Sector 7 then. I’m sure they probably made it there by now.”

“Right.”

Just as they were about to turn and leave the church, Cloud’s eyes locked with a man with a long red ponytail and several infantrymen standing side by side. It was Reno. 

“Reno!” Cloud said with shock. “How did you---”

“You’re not that hard to track,” Reno replied simply. “Now that we’ve got that out of the way, you’re now interfering with official Shinra business. You’re not an employee anymore, so I’m gonna have to ask you to step aside and let the girl come with us.”

“Oh shut up,” Aerith said. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“But Tseng misses you,” Reno said. “Besides, you don’t have much of a choice. You don’t have the protection of SOLDIER boy anymore.”

Reno stepped forward and drew his electro rod, which sparkled as it came to life. Cloud gritted his teeth, standing in front of Aerith. She seemed afraid. “What do we do now?”

“We have to get to Seventh Heaven from here,” Cloud muttered under his breath. “Just run through the back and we’ll get out of here, OK?”

“Right!” Aerith nodded. She started running. She turned back around. “Cloud, we have to get going now!”

“Right behind you,” the ex-SOLDIER swung his sword and sent a shockwave towards Reno and the grunts. The infantrymen screamed and ran off, trying to avoid getting hit while Reno zipped forward and tried to swing his rod at Cloud. 

“Stay still you bastard!” Reno swung and Cloud parried it with his sword. The two clashed, and continued swinging at each other while Aerith summoned her staives from thin air. “Oh? When did you learn how to fight?”

“I’ve always got a few tricks up my sleeve,” Aerith said, summoning some lightning bolts to strike Reno, who dodged them quickly. He then flipped and struck Cloud across the back. 

“Ugh!” Cloud rolled from impact and crashed into some of the wooden pews. He felt blood dribble from the corner of his mouth as he wiped it. “Cheap shot.”

“No, that’s called strategy,” Reno gloated before aiming to strike Aerith with his rod. She quickly cast Stop onto him, which prevented him from landing a blow. Instead, the Turk froze mid-air, his pupils darting about. 

“That’s called leaving yourself wide open,” Aerith said, mimicking his tone of voice. “Cloud, are you OK?”

“Yeah, thanks,” Cloud answered, a little embarrassed. “Sorry about that.”

“Let’s get out of here before they come to their senses,” the flower girl replied. “There’s an escape through the back.”

Quickly, the two of them ran through the back of the church and Cloud was amazed to see a rusted rocket that appeared to have crashed into the church, leaving multiple levels exposed and busted in debris. Cloud looked around them and sighed. “I’m guessing we have to climb that?”

“Seems like it!” Aerith said cheerfully. “Come on!” She quickly climbed the rickety stairs, with Cloud following close behind. They were quick to make it to the third level by the time Aerith’s Stop spell expired. 

“Where the hell are they?!” A distant voice called out. “Hurry up and get going! We need to cut them off!”

“Shit, c’mon Aerith!” Cloud said. He leaped across a gap and caught Aerith who also jumped across the gap. Suddenly, Reno and his guards started shooting at them. The barrage of bullets struck the stone walls and caused rotting pieces of wood to explode around them. 

Aerith ducked and covered the back of her neck. The landing beneath her started giving way. 

“Aerith! Watch out!” Cloud shouted to her. He reached out to her, and she suddenly started falling through the hole in the floor and rolled down the rusted rocket towards the guards. 

“Shit!” Cloud shook his head. “Aerith! You gotta fight them off! Run! Do what you need to get outta there!”

“You think I don’t know that?” The flower girl shouted, clearly annoyed. “Alright, but hurry up and think of something until I can get back up there with you!”

She started casting spells, and warding off the guards. Cloud shook his head and tried to look around him to see if there was anything he could use to help her, and then...he spotted barrels in the rafters. “Huh...Hang on Aerith! I got an idea!”

He quickly ran up the next flight of stairs and noticed several barrels positioned in different parts of the rafters. If he could time it correctly, he could knock them over and save Aerith from the guards. He just needed to choose the correct ones…

“Cloud!” 

The ex-SOLDIER looked down and saw Aerith climbing backwards up the stairs. “A little help here!”

Cloud knelt down and knocked over a barrel that rolled down the stairs and crashed into one of the grunts, who screamed in pain before getting knocked into the wall with a loud crack. Aerith looked up gratefully. “Thanks, Cloud!”

“Hurry up! Keep coming!”

Aerith kept running up the stairs, and Cloud kept knocking over barrels at the right moments, causing the grunts to run and duck for cover, preventing them from getting close to Aerith. She eventually caught up with him, and the two ran across the support beams hanging overhead. 

“This way!”

Cloud kept running and Aerith followed. They looked back and saw that the grunts were too busy trying to remove themselves from the debris when Reno growled angrily. “You useless pieces of shit! Get going!”

When the two of them reached the outside of the church, Aerith looked down. She started heaving and laughing. “Heh, they’re after me again, I see.”

“You really need to tell me why they want you so badly,” Cloud answered. 

“They’re trying to recruit me for SOLDIER! I think I got what it takes,” the flower girl responded, laughing. 

“Let’s hurry up and get out of here,” Cloud said quickly. “We should put some distance between ourselves and those guys.”

“Right behind you SOLDIER Boy,” Aerith said, prompting Cloud to smirk. “You know, you’re pretty quick on your feet.”

“Well, at least I’ve learned something,” he replied. “Gotta put that to some use, right?”

After hopping through the scrap metal heaps and destroyed buildings outside of the Sector 5 Slums, Aerith phoned her mother to let her know that she was going to escort Cloud to Sector 7. Once she finished, she turned to Cloud and dusted off her dress. “Well, you’ve certainly gotten yourself into a mess. What are we gonna do when you see Tifa again?”

“Er…”

Cloud hadn’t thought that far. Surely, Tifa wouldn’t be that quick to forgive him after he nearly betrayed the Avalanche group, but then again, he proved that he was willing to risk it all to save her if needed. But, showing up unannounced to Seventh Heaven seemed like a bad idea. 

“Let me guess...you have no idea, do you?” Aerith sighed. “You’re gonna have to be well prepared before you step right into explaining yourself. Knowing what you’ve told me, they’re not exactly going to be thrilled to see you.”

“That’s the least of my worries,” Cloud said honestly. “I...I just want to say I’m sorry to Tifa and that’s really all I want to do. Then, I’ll have to leave Midgar and start fresh elsewhere.”

“I see,” Aerith said sadly. 

“What?”

“It’s just...first Zack and now you.”

“Hey, it’s not like that,” Cloud answered softly. “I’m always going to be around for you. You know that.”

“That’s what Zack promised too, and look where we’re going,” Aerith said. “I hate everything that Shinra has done to our lives. They only take and make it worse.”

The two silently walked through the scrap yard. Aerith seemed upset, but Cloud knew that this was best. Yet, he knew leaving behind one of his friends wasn’t something he wanted to do. But, knowing Aerith, she’d forgive him eventually. She always tried to see the good in every situation, almost to a fault. 

“Well, maybe things won’t be so bad,” Cloud said aloud, causing Aerith to look at him curiously. “No more having a schedule to follow, or strict protocols. I can just be myself. I can actually start building my life beyond Shinra’s influence. Maybe even---”

Cloud blushed. He hadn’t even thought about his future this much, and yet, here he was suggesting that he’d find someone to build a life with eventually. But, the only person he could think of doing that with wasn’t even talking to him at the moment. 

“Hey, wanna take a break?” Aerith said suddenly.

“Hm?”

“Let’s go sit on that thing in the park,” Aerith continued, pointing out a slide that was shaped either like a mog or a bear. Either way, Cloud could tell it was meant for kids. “Just take a breather before we make it to Sector 7.”

She then motioned to the gigantic metal doors that kept Sector 6 and Sector 7 Slums divided from each other. “I have different ways of getting around those things. We’ll probably have to go through the sewers, but you’ll be back on the other side by then.”

“Sounds good to me,” Cloud said with a nod. “Did...Tifa ever message you back?”

Aerith pulled out her cell phone and looked down. She frowned. “No. She didn’t. That’s odd, usually she’d answer pretty quickly regardless of how busy she was.”

Cloud shook his head. He was sure she made it out of the reactor bombing alive before he fell. “I think maybe she’s just getting herself settled. It was a pretty intense mission...with it being her first, I think.”

The two settled down on top of the slide, sitting side by side. Cloud felt himself slowly unwinding from the mission, wondering if everything that happened within the span of a couple hours really was for the best. He then started thinking and came to the realization that he had no purpose nor motivation to be in SOLDIER. If that was the case, then why stay at all?

“What are you thinking about now?”

“Just...whether this was really the best thing for me to do,” Cloud answered truthfully. “Come to think of it, I never really understood why joining SOLDIER was the end all for me. Not when I don’t have a reason for joining. I can’t even remember the reason why I was so adamant about joining the program from the start.”

“Not everything has to have a reason,” Aerith said quietly. “Sometimes, there’s just something in your soul that demands you to go after it, even when there isn’t a solid plan in place. You just want to give things a shot, and if it works out, well, then it works out.”

“So, were you happy Zack was in SOLDIER?” Cloud asked. Aerith seemed thoughtful and then smiled. 

“I honestly was scared of him at first.”

“Huh?”

“SOLDIERs had some type of weird surgery, and they loved to fight,” Aerith said, closing her emerald green eyes. “They seemed kind of weird to me at first. But when Zack told me he was SOLDIER, I changed my mind. He showed me that you can’t blanket statements just because of what you hear or what you’ve seen. He was...Zack.”

Cloud looked down, feeling ashamed. “I just...let him have it when we were at the bar. He was so angry and disappointed that I was willing to turn on him. He’s not really going to forgive me for that.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Aerith said. “No one’s so far from redemption that they can’t be saved. Yourself, included.”

The ex-SOLDIER grinned. “How is it that you always seem to know how to cheer me up?”

“Trust me, Cloud. That’s a full-time job. Always gotta be worried about you.”

Suddenly, the large metal barricade slid open revealing a chocobo carriage heading to Wall Market. The driver pulled on the reins as the yellow chocobo warked and warbled forward. Through the small carriage window, there was a woman’s shadow wearing a mini dress. 

Cloud’s heart stopped. 

“TIFA?!” 


	15. The Balcony Scene

Tifa’s mind was racing. She stared inside the chocobo carriage, waiting to arrive at her destination. Never did she think in a million years she’d be in this position, willingly going to Don Corneo’s mansion. The very person she wanted to avoid. 

This time, there’d be no turning back. There was too much at stake to just run away. She needed to complete this mission and there’s no telling what would happen if she doesn’t uncover why Corneo’s men were asking about Avalanche around the Sector 7 Slums.

* * *

_ Several hours earlier… _

_ Tifa tried to dry her tears as Zack poured her some tea to settle her nerves. She cried after seeing Cloud fall through the abyss, wondering if he died upon impact after falling. To see his life possibly cut short after turning his back against Shinra to save them, the look of terror on his face as he fell shattered her.  _

_ “Hey...you doing OK?” Zack asked quietly. He placed a caring hand on Tifa’s shoulder. “It’s gonna be fine, Tifa. Knowing Cloud, he probably made it out OK. I guarantee it.” _

_ The leader of Avalanche shook his head. “Did you try calling him? I’m sure he’ll pick up. Why not give him a call?” _

_ Tifa looked down and tried to reach into her skirt pocket when she groaned. “It’s not here. I must’ve dropped it during the explosion. It’s gone.” _

_ “We’ll find a way to get a hold of him,” Barret said. “Sorry, Tifa. I really….misjudged the guy.” _

_ “It’s alright Barret, we all did,” Biggs said as he checked in on Jessie’s leg. “Hey, your leg is looking a lot better. We might have you back on your feet tonight, even.” _

_ Jessie’s eyes looked clouded with worry.  _

_ “Hey, what’s with the long face?” Zack asked her.  _

_ “While you were gone, several guys came in asking about Avalanche,” Wedge chimed. “We told them we didn’t know what they were talking about, but they were pretty adamant. They asked about ‘a guy with the gun for an arm’ and that’s when we knew that they were looking for Barret.” _

_ Barret looked uneasy. Suddenly, Marlene came running downstairs and hugged her papa. The man knelt down to pick her up and give her a big kiss on her forehead. “How’s my little girl?” _

_ “OK. I helped Jessie!” _

_ “She sure did,” Jessie said with a grin. “Best doctor I’ve had.” _

_ “Hey Marlene, can you go outside and play? Daddy’s got some business he’s got to take care of,” Barret said. The little girl nodded and ran outside, leaving the adults concerned with what Wedge explained.  _

_ “So, they were looking for us, huh?” Barret asked.  _

_ “They’ve been asking around,” Jessie said. “Luckily, when Biggs came back he was able to get a hold of one of them and got them to spill.” She sighed. “They work for Corneo.” _

_ Tifa’s heart sank. Don Corneo?  _

_ “What does the Wall Market crime lord want?” Barret wondered aloud. “He’s never bothered us before. He sticks to his own turf and we’ve always kept it that way.” _

_ Zack paced the floor and then looked out the window. “It can only be one thing, someone wants info on Avalanche and they’re using Corneo as a way to get those details. Whatever the reason, it can’t be good. They must know we’re here in the slums if they’ve been hanging around the bar.” _

_ “Who would tell?” Wedge asked worriedly. “It better not be that Johnny guy--” _

_ “Trust me, I took care of him a long while back,” Zack interrupted. “After his last run in with Shinra, we made sure to make it clear that if he talks, he wouldn’t be around to talk shit about us anymore. So, he’s outta town, and we made sure of that.” _

_ Tifa looked down at her boots. “I don’t think Cloud told Shinra...he couldn’t have.” _

_ Zack shook his head. “I’m not sure, but we’re gonna have to do some digging. How we’re gonna do that, I’m not entirely sure. Corneo doesn’t like talking unless there’s something of personal gain.” _

_ The group sat in silence while sipping their drinks. Tifa then finally spoke up some time later. “Well, you mention that Corneo doesn’t like talking...what if...I got him to talk?” _

_ Zack’s eyes glowed. “Don’t tell me you’re gonna do what I think you’re suggesting.” _

_ “I’m not following,” Barret said confused. “Tifa, how the hell are you gonna get that info from Corneo?” _

_ Tifa stood up. Her legs were shaking, yet her voice was steady. “Corneo might not like to talk to men, but he does love women. He goes and takes girls from the Honeybee Inn all the time to ‘interview’ them for being his next bride.  _

_ While I was there, that’s how he selected women. Every now and then, he’d hold auditions for women throughout the slums to come to his mansion and…” _

_ The fighter closed her eyes. “Anyways, if I can get an audition then I can try to get myself a chance to talk to him.” _

_ “Tifa...you’d really put yourself at risk like that?” Zack asked worriedly. “I don’t know, I’m not liking where this is going…” _

_ “I don’t either, but it’s the only lead we’ve got,” Tifa argued back, surprising herself. “I need to get an audition, and that’s the only chance we have to find out why they’re sending men to ask about Avalanche. It might be nothing, or it might be something that could threaten our lives. There’s too much at stake.” _

_ “Well said!” Barret shouted. “But, how are we gonna get you to Corneo?” _

_ Tifa looked down. She knew everything that came with the auditions from her time as a Honeybee, and she knew that there was a process. “First, I need to get an endorsement from one of the big three in Wall Market. They scout girls and choose the ones that would ultimately get into the auditions and end up at the mansion.” _

_ “There’s three? Who are they?” Jessie asked anxiously.  _

_ “There’s Madam M of the hand massage parlour, Chocobo Sam of the carriage services,” Tifa said. “And then there’s Andrea Rhodea, manager and lead dancer at the Honeybee Inn.” _

_ “Perfect! You used to work at Honeybee Inn,” Biggs said. “Can’t you just pull in some favors to get that endorsement?” _

_ “It’s not that simple, Biggs,” Tifa replied. “Andrea purposely tried to keep me away from Corneo’s selection during his visits to the Honeybee Inn. I don’t know why he’d give me any preferential treatment, but somehow, he seemed to want to protect me. I know for a fact that he will never give me an endorsement if he finds out.” _

_ There was a long pause. Zack sighed. “Then, we’re gonna have to try and get the attention of one of the others. Maybe Chocobo Sam might be your best bet.” He paused. “So, are you sure you’re OK with doing this?” _

_ “Yeah. I’m sure.” Tifa looked around the room. “Leave it to me.” _

_ “Just be careful,” Jessie said quietly. “Corneo...I heard so many things about what he and his goons do to the girls who end up in front of him...it’s not pretty and you don’t hear from them ever again.” _

_ Tifa cocked her head. “Jessie…” _

_ “Seriously though, just be careful.” Jessie smiled. “I know you can handle yourself, but hey, we have to watch out for each other.” _

_ Zack nodded. “Be careful, Tifa.” He then looked her up and down. “We have to get you the best chance to be endorsed and chosen. So, I’m guessing you’ll have to change.” _

_ “Yeah,” Tifa said, blushing slightly. “I’m not sure what I’ll wear, but maybe Marle can give me some ideas.” _

_ “That lady has been a good friend of Avalanche for the longest time,” Barret said. “She might have something for you if you go now.” _

_ “After you get the dress...then how are you going to get their attention?” Wedge asked, bewildered. “It’s not like they have scouts everywhere--” _

_ Tifa’s eyes flashed dangerously, and Wedge immediately shut his mouth. “Oh…” _

_ “A girl dressed to the nines in the slums, usually draws attention,” Tifa said flatly. “If I put myself out there near the different chocobo stations, one of Chocobo Sam’s guys will take notice. That’s usually how it goes. It’s more discreet than you think.” _

_ She then whispered. “People don’t take to girls going to make a living sleeping with men very well.” _

_ Zack then placed his arms around her shoulders in a comforting way. “You’ll be OK, Tifa. I have faith in you.” _

_ Tifa nodded, smiling. “I guess I’m off then.” _

_ The fighter turned to everyone in the bar and nodded. “I’ll be back tonight. Don’t worry about me.” With that, she smiled and ran out the door.  _

* * *

Tifa wiped her eyes, trying to take care of her make-up. She was scared, but she knew that this was the only way to make sure that Avalanche could get the upper hand and prevent anything from happening. There was a lot riding on this night, and she had to be chosen, regardless of how worried she might be. 

This time for Corneo’s mansion, Tifa knew she couldn’t risk not getting a spot, and so with Marle’s help, she was able to wear something that belonged to Marle when she was a young Honeybee. A beautiful black slinky number with crystals embedded into the bodice in a daring plunging neckline, and a lacy train cascaded down the back. 

Her long hair was brushed into glamorous waves, and her red eyes were set off with smokey eye shadow and mascara. Her single teardrop earring was replaced with dangling crystal stars. 

Then there was the overwhelming feeling of grief, thinking that Cloud perished during the fall. She wanted to reach him somehow and find out if he was OK. Tifa thought about reaching out to Aerith, but without a phone, she just wasn’t able to do that without making the trek to the slums in Sector 5. 

“Cloud…”

“Tifa?!”

Tifa’s head sprang up and was stunned to see Cloud walking towards her, ducking behind the carriage. “Cloud!” Her heart rose to her throat. “Thank god you’re alive! I thought we’d lost you.”

She quickly got onto the carriage floor and on her knees, looked at Cloud who hopped up onto the back of the carriage, hanging onto the railing. “What’s going on?” He asked, worriedly. 

Tifa hushed him, quickly looking behind her so that the driver wouldn’t overhear their conversation or notice the random hitchhiker. “I’ll explain everything later, but now I’m on my way to see Don Corneo.”

Cloud looked pained. “But--”

Tifa immediately shook her head, though it made her happy to think that Cloud worried about her, despite having been on opposite sides. Perhaps...he did care for her still, despite being a part of Avalanche. “I’ll be fine,” she reassured her, placing a hand on her chest. “You’ve seen how much ass I can kick.”

For a moment, she felt herself breaking. But, she didn’t want to appear weak in front of Cloud. Tifa just wanted to see him one last time before she went to Corneo’s mansion, uncertain if she’d make it out alive, or violated for a depraved bastard’s selfish and monstrous desires. Yet, she needed to do this to save her friends and find out what they’re after. 

Yet, the man who she started falling for was here with her in this brevity of a moment. She wanted to remember everything about him. His messy blonde spikey hair, the mysteriously glowing blue-green eyes that marked him as SOLDIER, his lips that would every so often reveal a rare smile that would make her light-headed. 

Over and over, Tifa felt her heart breaking and repairing itself. This could be the last time she’d see him, and she needed to do this for the people she cared about, no matter how dangerous. So, this was a farewell and a separation.

“I have,” Cloud said firmly. 

Before she lost her nerve, Tifa leaned in and gently kissed Cloud on the lips. It must’ve surprised him, since Cloud’s eyes widened before closing them, returning the kiss with some effort of his own. Yet, he had to cut it short before the driver would notice that he was there. 

“Goodbye, Cloud,” Tifa said with a sad smile. She slowly rose from her spot and returned to her seat in the carriage, watching the man she held in her heart slowly disappear from view. 


	16. A Night in Wall Market

Cloud slowly walked away from the carriage, slightly touching his lips. He couldn’t even take pleasure in that kiss, wondering and worrying about whether Tifa would ever return to him. That kiss wasn’t purely for affection, it was as if the girl had given up and was walking to embrace her potential fate. 

It was a goodbye kiss, and he detested it immensely.  _ Why did you do this to me, Tifa?  _ Cloud thought bitterly.  _ Did you really think that this would be it? No. You have to keep fighting to come back. You just have to! _

He slowly walked away, wondering if this was something he should just let go when Aerith immediately cut him off, placing her hands on her hips. “Oh no you don’t!” She growled. “You’re going after her.”

“She’s a big girl, she can handle herself,” Cloud replied, though he had a hard time believing that himself. He knew Tifa was a truly talented fighter, and yet, the thought of Corneo touching her intimately, and forcing himself on her was more than he could bear, and to think she might be disposed of right after Corneo was finished left Cloud clenching his fists. 

“You don’t know Corneo,” Aerith said, shaking her head. “It doesn’t matter how smart or strong you think you are. He’ll find out a way to turn it against you.” She slowly walked in the direction of Wall Market. “And where is she going? A mansion filled with his goons.” The flower girl shook her head. “Aren’t you the least bit worried about what might happen to her in there? C’mon. You’ve got to help her.”

As Aerith pleaded with Cloud to go after Tifa, the ex-SOLDIER thought to himself. The kiss that Tifa gave him, was tainted by the unforgiving nature of the situation at hand. He desperately found that he wanted to give her a kiss in return, but one of reunion. He just had to make sure she was OK. No matter what it took. 

“Alright.” Cloud nodded. He followed Aerith and descended into Wall Market.

* * *

Despite himself having experienced the night life with Shinra personnel at Wall Market, never once did Cloud find himself pleased with what goes on here. It was the entertainment district in Midgar, but Shinra allowed folks there to have the run of the place, and eventually, crime became unregulated. It was a lawless place.

“Where do we start?” Cloud asked.

“Hm. Maybe we can look for the transport hub where the carriages are,” Aerith suggested. “That’s the best lead I’ve got.”

The two made their way through the vendors and bustling streets. The air smelled of fragrant and mouth watering food, and the people were busy taking a load off from the evening.

When they finally reached the chocobo station, the driver who took Tifa was outside watering the large birds. Upon arriving, the chocobos nervously reared their feather heads.

“Hey!” The driver called out angrily. “You better have a good reason for scaring my birds.”

“We’re looking for a girl who took a ride in your carriage,” Aerith explained. “Can you help us find her?”

“Look I dunno what you’re talking about,” the driver said. “So go ahead and get lost!”

“Pretty please,” Cloud said through gritted teeth. He was close to slicing the smirk right off the bastard’s face.

Suddenly, a large burly man with a beard walked out of the station. He frowned at the sight of the two strangers, and proceeded down the steps. “What the hell is going on out here?” He asked, his cowboy hair tilted slightly. “I don’t know you...what’s your story?”

“We’re looking for a girl who took a ride on one of your carriages,” Aerith explained. “Can you help us find her?”

“Depends. What is it you want with this girl?” The man asked. 

“Guess,” Cloud said angrily. “We’re looking to save—“

“Save her from a life without this handsome guy,” Aerith immediately interjected, prompting Cloud to look at her confused. 

“So that’s how it is,,” the man said. “The name’s Chocobo Sam. I’ve seen probably over a hundred customers. This girl...what she look like?”

“Well…” Cloud crossed his arms, trying to figure out what the best response would be. Tifa was an amazing fighter, great at keeping the books...but her looks? “She’s in great shape.”

Aerith frowned slightly while examining herself. “Is that really important?”

“Wait a minute, you talking about Tifa?” Chocobo Sam asked.

“That’s her,” Cloud said while Aerith clasped her hands together in relief. 

“Oh ho, looks like someone’s got a bit of a crush,” the man said, causing Cloud to blush. “Hate to break your heart kid, but it’s gonna be a long time before she sees the light of day again.”

“Meaning?” Cloud asked.

“She’s a really pretty girl, Corneo’s hosting another audition and Tifa was chosen as a candidate.”

“An audition for what?” Aerith asked, puzzled.

“For the title of the next Mrs. Don Corneo,” Chocobo Sam shrugged. “She’s what he likes all wrapped in a sweet package. Have been scouting girls for so long that I know his tastes better than my own.”

He looked sympathetically at Cloud before continuing. “And, considering those tastes, I can guarantee you that she won’t be walking out of that mansion anytime soon...if at all.”

“So where can we find this Don Corneo?” Cloud asked. His heart was racing. This can’t be good. The kiss Tifa gave him made of that much more urgent and painful. 

“What’re you asking for? Looking to raise holy hell or something?” Chocobo Sam asked. “Do what you gotta do, but leave me outta it. I told you what you needed to know, now go take a walk.” The man waved them off before disappearing into his office again

“Well, there goes our best lead so far,” Aerith said. “We gotta get into the mansion, but we need to get an audition.”

Suddenly Aerith simpered. “Maybe,  _ I  _ can get an endorsement and get an audition to get Tifa out!”

“Why the hell would you risk yourself like that?” Cloud asked furiously. “No! I’m not gonna let you go by yourself.”

“Well, I wasn’t planning to,” Aerith replied. “I have a plan.” The flower girl paced around in a circle, prompting some of the chocobos to look at her with interest. “From what I can gather, Chocobo Sam’s one of the scouts who sort of gives his stamp of approval for the girls who audition, right?”

“Right.”

“If we’re gonna try to get into the mansion, then we’ll have to play by their rules,” Aerith suggested. “That means, we need to get someone to grab us an invite to audition at Corneo’s. I heard all sorts of things about who’s a part of the inner circle, and three names always popped up in conversation.”

“Go on,” Cloud said. 

“Chocobo Sam...Madam M...and Andrea Rhodea.” Aerith marked each name off of her fingers. “It sounds like they might be the three main people who can get you an audition for Corneo since they’re a part of his inner circle. Tifa got Chocobo Sam’s endorsement, now there are only two other people who can help us get into the mansion. Madam M and Andrea Rhodea.”

Cloud started shaking his head. “I don’t know if you getting involved in this is such a good idea.”

“I’m gonna need to get an invitation from Madam M,” Aerith said, ignoring Cloud’s opinion. She then scratched her head. “I think her business is somewhere down this street.”

“Who’s she?”

“I’m not entirely sure. I think I saw a sign somewhere for a business she owns,” Aerith replied simply. “Trust me. This is gonna work out. I promise.”

“I guess there’s no way I’m gonna be able to talk you out of it,” Cloud said lamely. “You never listen.”

“You just figured that out.”

Cloud sighed. The sooner they can get to Tifa, the better. “Fine. Lead on.”

The two took the time to look for Madam M’s parlour, and as soon as they walked inside, they smelled floral massage oil and amber scented incense burning near them. There were employees walking about in various kimonos, but there was one woman in particular that had a rather coy look in her eyes and stood behind the host counter. 

“Welcome, welcome.” The woman asked. Her ebony hair was pulled up into an elegant top knot and decorated with a headpiece that dangled. Her black kimono was falling down one of her shoulders, exposing a bit of chest, prompting Cloud to look away bashfully. “Just the two of you?” She fluttered her elegant gold and black fan, examining Cloud with interest. “Step right up.”

Aerith and Cloud gave each other a look before slowly approaching the counter. “Now, what manner of massage do you desire?”

“Say what?” Aerith asked.

“This your first time in our establishment?” The woman asked, prompting a nod from Aerith. “We are a hand massage parlour. An excess of fatigue and tension can make even the simplest task a terrible strain. It is our  _ pleasure  _ to relieve our patrons of that tension.” She playfully lifted her hand out in front of her and mimicked a massaging motion in front of Cloud, who felt even more uneasy. 

“And what better way to seek relief than through the skilled ministrations of a professional?” The woman then looked at both Aerith and Cloud. “So now that we understand each other, what manner of massage do you desire?”

“We’re not customers,” Cloud said flatly. 

“Then you are…?” The woman asked slowly, eyeing them curiously. 

“Hoping you can get us an invite to an audition with Don C---” Aerith began, but was cut off by Madam M’s look of utter frustration. She started shaking her head. 

“Oh for the love of—Say another word and I’ll shove this fan right down your throat!” Madam M said angrily, her serene look replaced with rage. Cloud was rendered speechless as the woman slowly walked around the counter. “This is the last thing I need. You’re young and stupid, and I suppose that means you think I’ll let you off easy.”

Madam M circled Aerith, looking her up and down, tapping her fan in her hand. “So you want what? A favor? Well, here’s the thing...This is a massage parlour— a respectable establishment. But if you don’t require our services…”

Suddenly Madam M got up close to Cloud’s face in a dangerous fashion. “Then tell me! Is there any reason I shouldn’t have you dragged outside and shot for wasting my valuable time!? Well!?”

She then looked Cloud down with a pause. Madam M seemed intrigued for the briefest moment and then lifted Cloud’s chin up to look at her directly with her fan. “Name?”

“Cloud Strife.” 

Madam M then surprisingly cooled down. “Hand.”

He hesitated and slowly lifted his hand out to her, which Madam M took forcefully. She started examining it and squeezing his palm, causing Cloud to grunt slightly at the pressure points the woman pushed. “The strong firm hands of a fighter...yet they possess a certain elegance and grace.”

She then appeared to resume her coy nature. “OK, Cloud...let’s see what you’re made of. Then after that, we’ll talk.”

“So. Which course will it be?”

Cloud gave Aerith a weird look before sighing. He took a look at the ornate menu behind the service desk and noted how drastically different each price point seemed to be. There was a Luxury Course for 3,000 gil and was the most expensive one listed, then there was a Standard Course for 1,000 gil and then the Poor Man’s Course for 300 gil...and was the cheapest. 

He didn’t know what to think as the options were overwhelming, and he didn’t really want to spend that much money on a course…

“I guess I’ll take the Poor Man’s Course,” Cloud said stoically, prompting a knowing look and chuckle from Madam M. Aerith appeared slightly bothered by this, but kept her mouth shut. 

“Then make your way to the back room, and wait,” Madam M said, fluttering her fan. She was giggling to herself, making him wonder what he got himself into. 

“Cloud…” Aerith said slowly. 

When Cloud made it to the massage room, he looked around him. There were candles, bottles of different types of massage oil and the sickeningly sweet smell of incense burning followed him. He wasn’t sure what to expect. He never experienced a massage before. 

“I’m warning you now, that this is...experimental,” Madam M said, motioning for Cloud to lay down on the table as she closed the curtain around them, giving a sense of privacy. Cloud laid himself on the tabletop, and realized that things weren’t going the way he thought they would. “You’ll either experience extreme pleasure...or pain.”

“Huh?” Cloud said. Suddenly, Madam M grabbed his hand and twisted it, popping bones as Cloud screamed horrifically at the intense pain radiating through his body.  _ This hurt a shit ton. Stop the pain. STOP! _

“You asked for it! Now take it like a man!” Madam M laughed maniacally, causing Cloud to continue crying out in pain and writhed on the table. “You get what you paid for! Now show me how you can deal with it!”

After several minutes, Madam M withdrew the curtains and Cloud felt limp. “Everything...hurts,” he said quietly. 

“You’ll feel that for a while, but it should improve in a few hours,” Madam M said. She smiled. “Thank you for your patronage.”

Just as he slowly reappeared in the front lobby, Aerith seemed worried. “Cloud? Are you OK?”

“Just...gimme a second,” Cloud sauntered to the wall and leaned himself against the wall. 

“Only one?” Aerith asked.

“Maybe a couple...maybe never.”

The pain was so intense that Cloud saw stars in his eyes. It was not what he thought would happen if he skimped out on the cash, and yet, he knows the wrath of Madam M...now. 

“Think you’ll make a habit of it?” Madam M asked rather playfully, fanning Cloud. He tried to not look her in the eye. Everything just hurts, and hopefully there won’t be any lasting damage from it. 

“Alright, let’s talk,” Madam M said while turning to Aerith. 

“I need your help to get me an audition at Don Corneo’s,” Aerith said. 

“Why on earth would you want to do that?” Madam M asked. “That seems like a stupid favor. Why would anyone willingly want to go to Don Corneo? He’s—”

“Please! There’s someone important who’s in danger and we need to get to her,” Aerith pleaded, her emerald eyes shining. “I know that it seems stupid, but there’s no time to waste. I need your endorsement in order to protect her, so please…”

There was a long dramatic pause, Cloud watching anxiously from the sidelines.  _ Did she just really lay it all out there? _

“Um…” Cloud began, but Madam M seemed more intrigued by Aerith’s plea.

“I’m guessing you’re friends with Tifa?” She asked quietly. 

“You know her?” Cloud asked bewildered.

“Yes, after all...I’m one of the three and we all get a glimpse of the competition coming in for an audition,” Madam M said seriously. “I seem to recall...Miss Lockhart is quite beautiful and I have no doubt that Mr. Corneo will be choosing her for a bride.”

She then looked at Aerith. “I’m sorry, and I mean this in the nicest way possible. Your ‘homely’ look isn’t going to cut it with the Don. He has specific tastes and your outfit screams out of trend.”

Aerith looked herself over. “I think my outfit looks...cool,” she said rather lamely. “Cloud?”

“You look fine in whatever you wear,” Cloud replied with a shrug. 

“Oh you.” The flower girl giggled. “But, what do you suggest then?”

Madam M sighed. “I have a dress you can wear.”

“Really? That’s amazing!”

“For 3 million gil.”

The price tag prompted both Aerith and Cloud to drop their mouths to the floor.  _ 3 million gil? _

“Um...I can’t afford that,” Aerith said. 

“I didn’t think you could,” Madam M said with interest. “But, there are ways to earn what you want.”

“Like?”

“Show us what you can do,” the woman replied. “There’s an underground fight club here in Wall Market and the winner of that tournament gets a huge cash prize.” Madam M circled the two. “Amounting to exactly  _ 3 million gil. _ ”

“Really? That’s perfect!” Aerith said gleefully. Cloud looked at her in shock. 

“Aerith! What the hell?”

“C’mon Cloud! It can’t be that tough. With the two of us fighting, then there’s no way we can lose!” The flower girl then nodded. “We’ll sign up for it.”

Madam M bowed before heading around the counter to make a phone call. Aerith then smiled at Cloud. “After all, how bad can it be?”

* * *

“That was bad. REALLY bad,” Aerith said, wiping the soot from her brow. They fought through several rounds of monsters, including the final one that resembled a house. They didn’t know what to expect, but somehow, the monsters grew increasingly more difficult and almost slaughtered the both of them. “I think they burned a part of my dress too...assholes.”

“Well, the worst is over for now,” Cloud answered. “We won. We got the money. Madam M saw us and said she’d do your makeover. So, that’s it...right?”

“Right! Now I’ll just have to let them do their magic, and I’ll be good to go for the mansion and rescue Tifa,” Aerith said with a wink. “So no worries!”

She started heading back toward the massage parlor. “It might take some time, so I’ll come find you when I’m done.”

“Just stay put and I’ll come find you,” Cloud said. “I’m gonna just hang around here.”

“Suit yourself.” Aerith hummed to herself as she walked towards the massage parlour. Cloud shook his head. It always seemed like his friend was always willing to put herself at risk without really thinking much about what that could mean for her. 

“Well, what do I do now?” Cloud mumbled to himself. He had no idea how long those makeovers take, so he decided he’d kill some time by wandering Wall Market for the next hour. “Damn this. I could just go right into the mansion right now and just drag her out of there.”

He popped some gil into a nearby vending machine and downed some Potion. “What am I going to do? I can’t just let Aerith go in alone either.” Cloud wiped the corners of his mouth. He looked up at the sky, and sighed. “Why the hell did things suddenly become so complicated?”

After taking a walk, he frowned. What exactly did he intend to say to Tifa when he reunited with her?  _ Hey, I know I just turned my back on Shinra even though I said I was gonna kill you guys if you tried bombing the place, but I’ve seen the error of my ways? _

He chucked the empty Potion bottle into a trash bin, where it landed with a loud clatter. Cloud stared in the direction of the mansion and worried about what was happening to Tifa. The thought of another man touching her and doing unspeakable things to her made his skin crawl and his blood boil. 

_ Just hang in there Tifa, just a little bit longer. I’ll come save you.  _

“Hey!” 

Cloud turned around and saw a small crowd of people gathered around a bridge. He was confused at first, but then saw a red carpet roll out in front of him. A beautiful, slender woman in a red dress approached him in heels and her emerald green eyes sparkled. 

His jaw dropped. It was Aerith. Her long plaited hair was undone and curled, interlaced with silky red ribbons and flowers cascading throughout the tresses. The neckline of her gown dipped daringly, and ruffles flowed throughout the dress, tied back with a giant red bow. 

Aerith stared deeply at Cloud as fireworks erupted in the sky, casting a glow off her gold strand of necklaces with stars that were layered ever so slightly. 

“Aerith? Wow.”

“This dress is so gaudy and I can barely move!” Aerith complained, examining herself. She then looked confused at Cloud’s expression. “Cloud? What’s wrong?”

“Excuse me,” he mumbled, his mouth growing dry. Normally, Aerith dressed casually and while she was pretty, Cloud never took a close look at her like that. Now she was dressed and made up differently, there was a different feeling that radiated off of her. 

Aerith cocked her head and giggled. “Well, thank you.”

Suddenly, Cloud shook his head. “Wait a minute, there’s no way in hell I’m letting you go to Corneo’s all by yourself.”

“I wasn’t planning on it,” Aerith said. “I have another trick up my sleeve.”

“Meaning?”

“C’mon,” the flower girl said, motioning for Cloud to follow her. “During our tournament, Madam M mentioned that a certain Andrea Rhodea was impressed by your moves and requested your presence at the Honeybee Inn.”

“Why does he want to see me?” Cloud asked curiously. 

“I don’t know, but it’s a huge deal apparently,” Aerith said. “Madam M said that he doesn’t usually take to anyone, but for you, he seemed interested.”

“I’m not--”

“Anyway, I just think you need to hear him out and see what he has to say,” Aerith said. “Who knows, he might have something that can help you rescue Tifa.”

Cloud hesitated only for a moment before groaning. “Fine.”

* * *

The Honeybee Inn’s flashing neon lights blinded Cloud’s eyes as they approached. He sighed. The last time he came here, it was with a bunch of SOLDIERs. They wanted to watch the dancers and see if they could score a date with them after the show. 

Cloud wasn’t really interested, though he recalled seeing Tifa dancing in her Honeybee outfit the night that he found her on the street unconscious. She looked so graceful on stage and beautiful, her ruby eyes glimmered in the spotlight. He could remember her long silky hair flowing behind her as she danced. 

Yet, there seemed to be a feigned look of cheeriness while she danced. Almost as if she was afraid of something. Cloud never thought about it much before, until he remembered that Corneo and his men would frequent the shows, choosing women for his brothel. 

Tifa must’ve feared getting selected, and purposely tried to not draw attention to herself. His heart started pounding against his chest. He wondered how scared she must’ve been, thinking that Corneo would whisk her away and have his way with her before tossing her aside once finished. 

Cloud shook angrily. Whoever Andrea Rhodea is, he’d need to make it imperative that he wasn’t there for talk and games, and that he helps Cloud and Aerith find Tifa and bring her back. As he walked into the inn’s lobby, he noted the numerous Honeybee dancers dashing off in different directions, patrons were wearing evening dresses and chattering amongst themselves excitedly. 

  
  


The ex-SOLDIER tried not to get distracted by the sounds of glittery heels clattering against the marble floors. Each dancer seemed preoccupied with getting their make-up just right, and their nervous laughter bounced off the walls. Cloud’s enhanced hearing picked up on distant conversations feet away from him, and some of those he dared not to repeat to others. 

“Excuse me.”

Cloud turned and found a Honeybee worker staring at him with interest. “Yeah?”

“Are you looking for Andrea Rhodea?” 

“Depends on who’s asking,” Cloud replied. He felt himself tense up. This wasn’t the time to let his guard down. He had no idea what Andrea Rhodea was like, and if he was in cahoots with Corneo, then something must be up...right?

“He’s been waiting for you,” the worker said with a bright smile. “Please follow me.”

Cloud sighed and let the Honeybee lure him further into the building. He turned around and was surprised to not see Aerith following him.  _ Probably for the best,  _ he thought to himself.  _ Who knows what they might throw-- _

“Here we are!”

The blonde’s mako-blue eyes widened. Inside a circular room made of red plush velvet were several Honeybee girls with dazzling smiles.  _ What the hell?  _ Cloud thought. The worker slowly pulled him into the room, and his heart started racing.  _ What’s happening? _

“You’re the one who wants to meet with Andrea?” One of the dancers asked. She looked Cloud up and down, who immediately felt his face burn with embarrassment. “Ooh! I can see why. You’re cute.”

The ex-SOLDIER glared.  _ This is such a waste of time.  _

“Cut the chatter,  _ Andrea  _ wanted to see  _ me _ ,” Cloud clarified. “I don’t have time to be talking to people, there’s something important I need to go take care of, so whatever it is that your boss wants, tell him he needs to make it quick or I’m walking.”

“Wow you’re cranky, I  _ like  _ that,” a tall brunette said with a grin. “Well, Andrea doesn’t like taking  _ no  _ for an answer. So, here’s what we propose. He’s getting ready for a show, and he wants you to be in the audience. But, first, we need to get a sense of what your moves are like.”

“Uh...moves?”

“You know, rhythm,” a red-head said flipping her hair and swinging her hips. Her inflatable stinger moved side to side, causing Cloud to feel slightly uneasy. “You do know that this is a nightclub, right? Well, Andrea is the best dancer of the troupe and he always needs to impress the audience with his moves and his charm.”

“I still don’t see how---”

“ _ You  _ are Andrea’s chosen partner for tonight,” a girl with a pixie cut said. “So, you need to impress him with your moves, and he’ll give you what you’re after. Those are his direct words. He watched your performance at the tournament with that girl in the pink and he’s smitten.”

Cloud blushed. “Look, I don’t...I don’t dance.”

“You sure? Your performance in battle seems to tell us otherwise,” the worker said. Her long ponytail flicked itself as she moved off to the side and moved a coffee table that was in the middle of the room. “Look, we know you’re looking to get into the Corneo Mansion. We dancers... _ know  _ that’s usually not a good idea.”

Several of the dancers frowned and looked away, leaving a bad taste in Cloud’s mouth. They looked frightened, and some looked apprehensive about what would happen to them if they didn’t perform.  _ This guy’s a piece of shit _ , Cloud thought to himself.  _ Gaia.  _

“Hey, can I ask something?” Cloud asked. “Has... _ any  _ of the past Honeybees come back?”

There was a long silence, and Cloud felt his own heart start to sink when each person started to shake their heads.

The Honeybee with the pixie cut sighed. “When you’re chosen, that’s when we say goodbye. That’s that. We never hear from them again. We hear rumors that Corneo throws them out with the garbage, but I don’t think that’s all there is to it.”

“Why can’t you guys just leave?” Cloud asked. He looked at all of them. “Tifa did.”

“It’s not that simple,” one of the Honeybee girls chimed. “We have debt. We owe Corneo a lot for keeping our payroll and us off the streets. If we leave...then he’ll send his goons after us, and that’s even worse than trying to keep dancing and pray that he won’t pick you.”

“Wait, I thought Andrea paid your guys’ payroll?” 

“No, that’s why he’s stuck here too,” one of the girls said sadly. “Andrea is one of the big three, but he never really believed in what Corneo sought to do around Wall Market. A long while back, Andrea needed money to settle something to help a family member get out of this huge amount of debt. In exchange, he worked to manage the Honeybee Inn after Corneo found out he had incredible dancing experience.”

“Why would he do that? Why not get help?” Cloud asked, suddenly feeling guilty about Andrea’s motives. “Why would he allow this to keep happening? Why not go to the police?”

“For someone who looks like he’s from Shinra, you’re not very bright are you?” One curly haired Honeybee said with a frown. “Wall Market is the entertainment district, and it’s the part of Midgar that is free from Shinra’s influence. Corneo runs the place and calls the shots...we’re all disposable.”

“If Andrea ever spoke out...Corneo’s not above killing all of us or having his goons come through...Andrea’s family is also on the line too if he doesn’t go along with the selection process. He tries his best to try and protect us, but it weighs a lot on his conscience.”

Cloud sighed. “Well, I need to get into the mansion. Regardless of the risk.” Just as he was about to go through the double doors leading to the lounge area of the nightclub, the one Honeybee girl with the pixie cut stopped him in his tracks by cutting him off. “What?”

“Tell me...do you love her?”

“Huh?” Cloud seemed surprised by this. “What do you mean?”

“The girl,” the Honeybee girl asked. “You’re going through hell trying to get into a place where no one wants to be. No one ever walks out of there alive. You must really care for the girl you’re trying to save.”

“How do you know---”

“Wall Market has no secrets, but don’t worry...this one we’ll keep,” the Honeybee girl said. “Anyways, Mr. Rhodes is waiting for you out there, and remember...dazzle him.”

Cloud pondered this before the doors opened, leading out into the lounge. There were crowds of people sitting at the various booths, and he could see Aerith sitting in the front in her evening dress. He frowned. Suddenly, the Honeybee girls shoved him out, and then he realized what was happening. 

He was onstage, and Andrea Rhodea was already performing his dance number, moving to each beat and cadence of the music. Spotlights were on him, and with a flamboyant twirl, the lead dancer motioned for Cloud to come out onto the stage, with the spotlights shining at him. 

“Think you can follow my lead?” He asked with a grin. Cloud blushed and felt himself growing warm with all the lights shining down at him and the stares of the crowds as they were clapping and whooping for him to get out there. “If you want to get my approval, you’ll have to show me what you got. No holding back.”

_ Oh shit.  _ Cloud thought. He didn’t like the idea of having to dance or showing off in front of people. He saw Aerith clapping out in the crowds, laughing and cheering for him, he realized that this was all for a purpose. Tifa was waiting and probably scared, and he needed to go help her. No matter the amount of embarrassment. 

He groaned before moving next to Andrea and started moving to the beat of the music. Naturally, his body started moving in-sync with the bass and started pulling out some moves that surprised himself. Then again, SOLDIER members were tested to fulfill any request or command, and there’s no telling what contracts or clients might request them to do, including dance. 

Cloud twirled and started break dancing, thrusting his hips a certain way that caught eyes from Andrea who moved along with his newfound partner. The lights nearly blinded him, but it was all relative. Cloud focused on keeping himself dancing and making sure that he could do whatever it takes to garner Andrea’s approval. 

The music suddenly paced faster, prompting Cloud to quickly pick up the beats and started pulling moves that even surprised Andrea it seemed. The two men were in perfect harmony, complimenting each other as the music blared and the crowds were cheering the dancers gleefully. 

“Woohoo! Keep it up Cloud! Work it!” Aerith shouted from the front row, much to Cloud’s chagrin. “I love it!”

_ Easy for her to say, she’s not up here _ . Cloud twisted himself and flipped. The lights were too much and the music was almost disorienting, but it was almost over. 

Soon, he finished with the final pose and confetti showered over them via cannons that were hidden behind the stage. Just as Cloud bowed, Andrea faced him and formed a heart with his two hands in front of his chest. 

“Honey, I’m in love,” he said in awe. “Yes, yes I can transform you into a vision of beauty!”

“Wait...W-What are you....HEY!”

Suddenly, dancers swooped in surrounding him, and covering him from the faces of the crowds who were trying to take a peek at what was happening to the masculine dancer. Cloud felt someone powder his face and line his lips with some type of gloss and his nails were painted. 

He felt a cool material drop over his head as a dress was thrown over his clothes. Someone tugged at his head and soon, Cloud was stunned to find a long length of hair flowing from his head. It was a wig. It was then he knew what exactly Aerith had planned, and it was something he’d never live down. 

“Oh my...you’re a vision of loveliness,” someone murmured. “Yes! Darling, this color is gorgeous on you!”

Another dancer removed his boots and placed it into a glamorous kitten heel and tied a necklace around his neck. 

With all the chaos, Cloud groaned. He knew this was going to be a disaster. Several minutes later, the dancers revealed their work to the crowd. Aerith gasped and Cloud looked at himself. He was wearing a black lace dress with dark blue accents. His voluminous skirt covered his muscled calves and his spikes were disguised into braids that were tied with sapphire bows on the ends. 

He reached up and touched the golden necklace that encircled his collar. “Shit.”

“Remember, Cloud...beauty is the expression of the heart, where the norms of gender don’t apply,” Andrea whispered. There was a pause before he added. “You’re looking for her aren’t you? Tifa?”

“Yeah...I am.”

“She’s lucky to have someone who loves her so much to do this for her, how suave.”

The two then bowed in front of the crowd. People rose to their feet for a standing ovation, and Aerith was cheering loudest of them all. Cloud blushed and looked out the window towards the back. There was no time to lose. 


	17. Fighting the Don

Tifa watched the fireworks explode off in the distance, wondering what that could possibly be about. She silently tugged on her dress, sighing at what mess she was getting herself into now. This type of glamour was not her usual type of dress, yet she knew she needed to convince Don Corneo that she would be the perfect bride for him. 

Though she felt her skin crawl at the thought of him touching her and attempting to have his way with her. There were things that the girls at the Honeybee Inn would talk about, and it’s usually not very pleasant when it came to the Corneo Mansion. 

“You know, you’re quite the bombshell,” the Chocobo driver said while Tifa felt a shiver shoot straight up her spine. “If you weren’t a bride for Mr. Corneo, I’d have taken a leap at having you all for myself.”

“I’m sure you would,” Tifa muttered under her breath, cursing him slightly. “But, that’s not why I’m here tonight.”

“I know, I know...but I’m surprised a pretty girl like you isn’t tied down to a man yet.”

“Who says?” Tifa said rather indignantly. “Who says it has to be a man?”

“Woah, woah...are you into women?”

“None of your business,” Tifa replied rather hotly. “Just focus your attention on getting me to the mansion, and I’ll forget what you said.”

“Geez...women.” The driver returned his focus to the front as Tifa felt her heart thud heavily against her chest. She wanted nothing more than to escape, but she felt burdened by the mission she was carrying out by herself. Tifa touched her heart, as if to calm it as she thought about the gentle kiss she shared with Cloud just moments before. 

He seemed surprised, and Tifa panicked, wondering if maybe she read the signs wrong. But, she remembered him returning her kiss with his own effort, and that made her heart flutter like a gentle butterfly’s kiss. There was something so familiar about that kiss. Almost as if it was something her body remembered. Though it was impossible, she never kissed anyone before. 

Tifa looked down at her well manicured fingers, and thought about Aerith and Zack, and wondered if at some point the two of them would meet again. She willed it and hoped for it. It was something she desperately wished for her friend who struggled with knowing that her love was intentionally staying away from her. 

Then, the bartender thought about Barret, Marlene and the rest of Avalanche. Now that they blew up another reactor, surely Shinra was going to be hunting them down. But with Corneo’s goons suddenly appearing and asking about Avalanche, Tifa couldn’t risk letting that information go. Something was up, and she needed to figure out what it was. 

“Well, we’re here.”

Tifa stood up slowly as the driver assisted her off the carriage. “Thank you.”

The driver tipped his hat and returned to his seat before controlling the chocobo. The carriage wheels jostled against the brick paved streets while Tifa shifted her focus to the immense building behind her. There was someone standing at the door, and it appeared to be a silver-haired man. 

“Hello,” Tifa said, trying to sound confident. Though, she felt herself shake. “I’m here for the audition.”

The man sighed as he examined Tifa. “You’re one of his brides, aren’t you?”

“Well, not yet,” Tifa said brightly, trying to mask her disgust. “But I hope I get chosen! I’ve heard many great things about Don---”

“Yeah, I know you’re bullshitting me,” the man answered flatly. Tifa felt embarrassed. “Don’t try to pretend that Corneo is some messiah who’s here to save you from your misfortunes. He’s always gotta have a hand in something and once he figures out what you value, he’ll find some way to take it away from you.”

The man clenched his fist. “No matter the cost.”

“Um…” Tifa felt confused by the man’s apparent bitterness, but she shook her head. She needed to keep in character. “Well, I’ve got Chocobo Sam’s endorsement for tonight. Will you show me where to go?”

“This way.” The man reluctantly opened the massive doors, revealing a lavish and almost borderline tacky lobby with golden statues and glittery decor. Tifa felt her heels click against the marble floors as she looked around her. The doors slowly closed behind. 

“Well, I’m not gonna sugarcoat it,” the man said. “You’re not the only girl Corneo’s gonna be watching. There’s two others joining you, and I heard they’re quite the lookers too.”

“Looks aren’t the only things that matter,” Tifa replied, though rather flatly. “But, I guess you wouldn’t know that, would you?”

“Cut the crap,” he spat. “I’m trying to save you from making a mistake.”

“What do you mean?” Tifa asked, bewildered. “Aren’t you...one of Corneo’s men?”

The man turned around. Tifa then suddenly remembered. “Hey...did you use to come to the Honeybee Inn?”

“What’s it to you?”

“I used to be a dancer there,” Tifa answered honestly. “I was one of the newer ones a few weeks ago before I quit.”

The man’s blue eyes turned steely. “I think I remember you...Tifa, was it?”

“Yeah.”

“Well...not that it matters, but I remember Andrea Rhodea really didn’t want you to be chosen for the selection,” the man said. For a split second, Tifa thought she saw regret in his eyes. “Looks like all those efforts are gonna be going down the tubes.”

“Do you know...why Andrea never wanted me to get chosen for the selection?”

“He must have a soft spot for you,” the man shrugged. “Then again, he’s a good guy. Just...got himself mixed up with Corneo and he can’t get himself out of it. I don’t blame him. This isn’t a life worth living down in Wall Market. Not with these assholes.”

The man sighed. “I got my own debt that I have with Corneo. He took something from me.”

“What?” Tifa asked. 

“It’s really none of your business, and it’s really not something I bring up to someone I barely know either.” The man then motioned for Tifa to follow him upstairs. “You’ll be waiting upstairs.”

“What’s your name?” Tifa asked curiously. The man appeared to struggle, as if he was debating whether to answer her or not. It seemed like he wasn’t going to until he spoke softly. 

“Leslie.”

Tifa could sense that there was something to Leslie that she couldn’t put a finger on, but he merely opened a side door and it appeared to be a storage room. “You’ll have to wait in here, sorry for the mess. But, Corneo’s not really the one to make his guests comfortable.”

The bartender took several steps inside and looked around. “It’s fine. I don’t really need much.”

Leslie nodded silently before closing the door. Yet, before he did, he turned around. “You seem like a good girl, Tifa...I’m sorry you felt the need to do something like this.”

With that, he quietly closed the door, leaving Tifa alone to gather her thoughts. This place gave her the creeps, though she knew she’d need to keep her cool and stand out from the rest of the candidates in order to get a chance to hear straight from Corneo’s mouth about why his men were in the slums. 

But a 33 percent chance of getting chosen? Tifa didn’t like those odds. She had no idea who’d be coming to try and take her spot in front of the Don, but she needed to prepare. She could very well lose if she didn’t take the time to properly steady herself and focus on the objective. 

Still, Tifa gazed at the various stacked furniture around her. Why would Corneo have her wait in this room? Suddenly, she heard a faint hissing noise and Tifa immediately saw a gas floating ominously from the vents. It smelled sickeningly sweet. 

“Gas!” Tifa shouted. She turned on her heels and ran for the door. She tried to jiggle it open, but it wouldn’t budge. “Locked!”

Tifa tried to cover her mouth and nose, but knew she inhaled too much of it. Her head started spinning, and everything was starting to fade in and out. Her legs felt like jello as she tried to grip a nearby desk to steady herself. 

“Shit,” she said to herself. “No...not this.”

Just as she was about to pass out, she noticed two men approaching her wearing gas masks.

“Oh damn! She’s hot!”

“Man, I hope Corneo doesn’t choose her. I’d like to have some fun too.”

“S-Stay away from me,” Tifa tried to say, but her vision started going. It was too much. She felt herself collapse onto the ground as everything faded to black. 

* * *

By the time Tifa opened her eyes, she found herself in some type of dungeon of sorts. She still felt a little woozy from before, but then she realized that the gas was funneled into the room so that she wouldn’t try to escape and back out of auditioning for Corneo. 

“That bastard,” Tifa grunted. She slowly stood up and noted that despite feeling sick, she still had her wits about her. Nothing seemed missing or out of place. She adjusted her bodice and smoothed out her dress. She took a good look around and found that there were chains hanging everywhere and there were some questionable looking devices hanging on the walls. 

“He’s a depraved bastard,” Tifa said. She cringed at the sight of the instruments and sighed. “So, he’s some kind of sick son of a bitch, isn’t he?”

Tifa walked around the dungeon and saw a flight of stairs to her right, undoubtedly it’d be guarded by some of Corneo’s men. There was no way to escape and she’ll have to carry out her mission despite her wanting to flee from the place. No matter how much she didn’t want to do so. 

Suddenly, she heard a groaning noise and on the floor not far from here were two other women. Stunned, Tifa immediately ran over to the closest one who appeared to be a blonde. The girl opened her eyes, revealing a startling and strange bluish green color. 

“Hey, can you hear me?” Tifa asked gently. The two girls probably inhaled the same gas as she did. 

The girl suddenly sat upright abruptly, prompting Tifa to sit back. “Tifa?”

“Yes?” Tifa was confused at how the girl knew her name. 

“You OK?” The girl asked in a surprisingly low voice. 

“Mhm…”

The girl sighed. “Good.”

Tifa took a closer examination. There was something familiar about this girl. “Wait a minute,” she said, scrunching her eyes. Then, everything came together in an instant. “Cloud?! Oh my god that make-up and that dress!”

“Nailed it, I know. Thanks. Moving on,” Cloud said quickly. He then shifted his attention to another girl wearing an extravagant red gown. Tifa suddenly ran over. 

“Aerith! You’re here too?” Tifa asked, helping her friend. “Are you OK?”

“I’m a bit woozy, but I’ll manage,” Aerith said. “I heard that you were in trouble, so Cloud brought me along to help you out and get you out of here.”

“Um...I’m alright,” Tifa said, shaking her head.

“Cut the chatter,” Cloud said coldly. “Tifa, what are you doing here?”

“Well, after the explosion, some men came around the slums asking about Avalanche,” Tifa said. “Then we did some digging.”

“And found out they’re Corneo’s men,” Cloud said. 

“Yeah, but I couldn’t figure out why,” Tifa said, shaking her head. “So I thought I’d come and ask straight from the man himself.”

Cloud looked annoyed. “Seriously?”

“Well, there’s a slight problem,” Tifa said apologetically. “Turns out I’m only one of three candidates. If Corneo doesn’t pick me, then it’ll all be for nothing.”

“Well your worries are over, aren’t they?!” Aerith said cheerfully. She ran up next to Cloud. “Because your two other candidates are right here, right?” 

Cloud appeared even more annoyed. “Right,” he said reluctantly.

“You. Me. Cloud. Makes no difference in who gets chosen, does it?” Aerith asked Tifa, who immediately felt an instant fear shoot straight through her bones. 

“I don’t know Aerith, it feels wrong getting you involved in this,” Tifa said, shaking her head. “If something ever happened to you, I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself.”

“Don’t bother trying to talk her out of it,” Cloud interjected, and Aerith immediately giggled. 

“Aw, Cloud gets me! Took you long enough,” she said, slapping his shoulder. Cloud immediately groaned. 

Aerith then excused herself and moved to the other side of the dungeon, and appeared troubled by the number of devices that scattered throughout the room. Tifa then returned her attention to Cloud who seemed locked on her. 

“Hey...about earlier,” Tifa said, blushing. “I...I wasn’t expecting to see you again.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Cloud replied, blushing slightly. “I’m just glad you’re OK.”

“Me too,” Tifa said. “But, why did you come like this?”

“I-I…” 

“Isn’t it obvious Tifa?” Aerith asked with stars in her emerald green eyes. “He wanted to be your knight in shining armor. Cloud wanted to save you!”

“Aerith!” Cloud protested. “Now’s not the time.”

“Well, I think it’s romantic,” Aerith said, smoothing out her own dress. “C’mon. It’s not everyday a girl gets to have a man sweep in to save the day. Though, Tifa’s strong enough to take care of herself too. But, it’s a nice gesture.”

“Thanks, Aerith,” Tifa said awkwardly. She then smiled. “So, you did come for me.”

“Well, I did say that if you wanted me to come help you out of a bind, I would,” Cloud said. Suddenly, both Tifa and Cloud immediately gasped in pain and keeled over. Visions started flashing through their minds:

_ “If I’m ever trapped or in trouble, promise you’ll come and save me.” _

_ “Huh?” _

_ “That’s what heroes do. They save people.” _

_ “Please?” _

_ “Uh--” _

_ “Just once!” _

_ “Fine. I promise.” _

_ There were flames erupting everywhere, burning against her skin. Tifa screamed as she knelt down to an unconscious person, and rage filled her. “Shinra. SOLDIER. Mako. I hate it all. I’m sick of this...I’m sick of all of this!” _

_ She then grabbed a vicious looking sword and slowly walked deeper inside of a reactor... _

_ Then, there were flashes of a heavenly white light and a small patch of yellow flowers. Cloud and Tifa were positioned like yin and yang in the middle and a lone wolf stood off to the side, watching over them. They were unconscious, but they looked as if they were sleeping.  _

“Hey are you guys OK?” Aerith called out to them worriedly. Tifa opened her eyes and found that she was on the floor as well as Cloud. “Both of you passed out at exactly the same time.”

“That’s...weird,” Tifa said. “But, I’m alright I think. How about you Cloud?”

“I’m OK,” Cloud said while gripping his forehead. “It’s nothing.”

Aerith stared at the both of them, worry appeared in her eyes. “This isn’t the first time that you guys had headaches like this. Something really weird is going on with the both of you. We’ll need to get that checked out once we get out of here.”

“No need,” Tifa said, trying to smooth her hair. “We have to focus on the now. We can’t get caught up in the details, otherwise...we’re gonna lose sight of why we’re here in the first place.”

“But Tifa---”

Suddenly, a gong was struck and its resonating noise filled the room. “Alright ladies! It’s time to line up and meet the Don. Please, come upstairs and we’ll get this party started!”

Tifa exchanged looks with Aerith and Cloud who stared back at her. They all nodded and proceeded up the steps. Their heels clicked against the wooden floorboards as they made their way to the Don’s room. Tifa felt her legs tremble like jello. This was the moment she dreaded. 

The goons grinned back at the women (though Cloud tried to hide his masculine features) and opened a pair of massive red doors with golden symbols etched onto it. “Alright! Line it up in front of the Don. Hurry up!”

Aerith, Tifa and Cloud slowly lined themselves next to each other, and immediately they noticed Don Corneo sitting at his desk. Tifa grew disgusted at the overtly fat man with a tattoo on his head and blonde hair that looked as if it was slicked back with too much hair gel. 

His goons didn’t seem to care at all at how uncomfortable the trio felt. “Now introducing the indomitable and one and only Don Corneo!”

Corneo slowly made his way around the desk, and his hungry and depraved eyes observed each potential bride in front of him with animalistic predatory mannerisms. “Oh, nice. Very nice!”

Corneo locked eyes with Tifa, and took a close look around her body. “You’re quite the bombshell, shall I pick you?”

  
He then circled back to Aerith, looking at the thigh-high slit. “Or you?”

Then he made his way to Cloud who kept staring ahead, annoyed that this was even happening. Corneo felt up Cloud’s arms, and appeared startled by the muscles. “You’re...quite toned.”

“Well, I think I made up my mind!” Corneo then spun himself around. “Tonight’s bride to be is---”

“Tonight’s?” Aerith asked, bewildered. 

“Yeah, if he takes a liking to you, it might be longer,” one of the goons replied cheekily. 

“Pathetic,” Cloud muttered under his breath. 

“Which one of you said that?” Corneo asked somewhat frigidly. He then came to Cloud and then smiled mischievously. “Was it you? I’m gonna enjoy breaking that mouth in.”

Corneo then slapped Cloud’s back. “Tonight’s bride is this big-boned girl.”

Tifa and Aerith gasped.  _ Cloud?  _

“You can have the leftovers,” Corneo said, waving his hands away as he took Cloud by the arm and escorted him to the back room, assumed to be his bedroom. “My oh my...you’re quite the looker my dear. So athletic…”

Cloud cast a look behind his shoulder, whileTifa and Aerith were in immense shock. 

Tifa shook her head. The night’s full of surprises.

* * *

“C’mon ladies!” One of the goons said as they opened the doors leading into an adjacent room filled with Corneo’s men. Aerith and Tifa looked on with disgust as the goons started drooling over them. The place reeked of stale beer and pretzels, possibly some sweat. “Step right up, don’t be shy!”

“Compliments of the Don!” One goon said with a grin. As the doors shut behind them, they started chanting. “CORNEO!”

Aerith exchanged a side glance at Tifa who kept her seething rage simmering beneath the surface. After everything she experienced during the past few hours,  _ this  _ is what she had to deal with? As the men kept chanting, a goon wearing green approached the two of them. 

“Well ladies? Ready to get to it?” He asked rather suggestively. 

“Yeah, I guess I’m good to go whenever,” Aerith said sweetly. “How about you, Tifa?”

“Hm…” Tifa thought aloud. “Two for each of us.” After gritting her teeth, Tifa relaxed. She then turned to Aerith. “OK. Let’s not keep Cloud waiting.”

“Right.” Aerith smiled. Suddenly, the man in green started frowning and came close to Aerith’s face. “Wait a sec...I know you…” It suddenly dawned on the goon. “The colosseum!”

Without much warning, Aerith kicked the goon in the crotch causing him to yelp in pain and Tifa spotted another goon coming for Aerith from behind. “Get down!” She ordered. Aerith ducked as Tifa swiped against the man’s face with a high upper kick. Despite wearing heels, the fighter felt completely in her element. 

Aerith pulled the rug underneath another man as Tifa delivered a punishing blow to his face. Just as the man in green was recovering from the blow to his privates, he started yelping again. Tifa turned her attention and saw that Aerith held a chair. 

“N-No. Wait!”

_ SLAM.  _

Tifa then knocked out the final goon before dusting off her hands. “Good job, Aerith!”

“It’s nothing compared to you!” Aerith then mimicked Tifa’s martial arts skills and the two gave each other a high-five. When the doors opened behind them, Tifa was surprised to see Leslie carrying a bunch of items, including Cloud’s sword. He looked down at the ground and shook his head. 

“I come bearing gifts,” he said, laying them out on the ground. “Your clothes.”

“Wait, how did you know?” Tifa asked, her eyes widening. 

“Andrea over at the Honeybee Inn filled me in on the whole thing and told me to come help,” Leslie replied casually. “Oh, and he says ‘hello’ Tifa.”

Tifa slowly smiled. Andrea always seemed to be watching out for her. She’d have to thank him one day. 

“Now, go kick Corneo’s ass,” Leslie said while walking away. 

“Um...thank you!” Aerith called out after him. 

After dressing themselves in their usual outfits, Aerith carried Cloud’s clothes while Tifa held onto his sword. They ran through the hallways of the mansion, trying to find Corneo’s bedroom to save Cloud from an unfortunate disaster that was waiting for him. 

“Hey! Do you think Cloud’s OK?” Aerith asked, panting.

“I’m sure...Cloud...can take care...of himself,” Tifa breathed. “Besides. I’m sure Corneo is in for the shock of his life when he finds out.”

Tifa and Aerith scoured the place looking for Cloud, and defeated additional goons whenever they came across any. There was a growing sense of dread at what the two of them might find, and Tifa anxiously searched for Cloud. 

_ Hang in there Cloud,  _ she thought to herself. 

“You depraved bastard,” a muffled voice said through a pair of ornate doors. 

“That’s Cloud!” Aerith said. “Yep, that’s our favorite grumpy SOLDIER.”

Tifa and Aerith immediately burst through the doors and Cloud hopped off from the bed where Corneo had attempted to pounce on him. “Cloud! Your clothes!” Aerith called out to him, holding up the bundle and Tifa offering up his sword. 

The ex-SOLDIER nodded and immediately started changing. 

Both women averted their eyes, though Tifa couldn’t help but sneak a little peek and noted the muscles on Cloud’s chest and arms. She felt heat radiating off her face as Cloud seemed to notice that she was staring at him. She immediately turned away, though she could feel him staring at her from behind. 

“What the fuck?” Corneo shouted. “So, you’re a man?!”

Tifa immediately sprang forward. “Shut up, we’re asking the questions now.” She walked slowly toward Corneo, now feeling a sudden burst of courage as she started staring down the man who caused her and many of the Honeybee girls grief from the past. “Why did you have men in Sector 7 asking about Avalanche?”

“Don’t know what you’re talking about,” Corneo said flatly.

“Don’t play coy, I’ll ask again,” Tifa said rather angrily. She crossed her arms. “Why did you have men in Sector 7 asking about Avalanche? Spill the beans...or---”

“I’ll cut them off,” Cloud said, gripping the handle of his sword. He glared menacingly at Corneo who immediately covered his crotch. 

“Fine! I was paid to go looking for a man with a gun for an arm!” Corneo howled, trying to protect his jewels. 

“Paid by who? Keep talking...or---” Tifa began. 

“I’ll rip ‘em off!” Aerith said, making a threatening gesture. Corneo whimpered and scooted himself further away from the group, trying to place as much distance between them as possible. 

“It was... H-Heidegger, of the Public Safety Division! He paid for me to go looking for Avalanche,” the mustached creep cried. 

“Shinra?!” Tifa gasped. “What do they want?”

“Some things are better left unsaid, you know?” Corneo said. “Please!”

“I think you know more, better keep talking--” Aerith said playfully, leaning dangerously close. Tifa then placed a boot on top of his bed, and with as much gusto as she could summon she glared at the sorry excuse for a man. 

“Or I’ll smash ‘em,” she said. 

Corneo then screamed. “Alright! Fine! Shinra is planning to drop the plate on the hideout in the slums!”

Tifa felt her whole world shatter.  _ Drop the plate? On her home and her friends? So many innocent people would be crushed beneath the metal and concrete and it’d be because of Avalanche. It’d be because of her.  _

“Drop the plate?!” Tifa shouted. “Y-You’re lying!”

“Did I stutter?” Corneo said, clearly catching on that Tifa was shaken by this revelation. “They’re planning to destroy the support, and then...SPLAT! No more Sector 7. Goodbye to the trash and the undergrowth! Good riddance!”

“Cloud!” Tifa shouted. “We have to get to the slums! We have to stop them!”

“Of course, Tifa,” Cloud said reassuringly. His eyes warmed her insides. 

“C’mon guys, we’ve gotta go!” Aerith said urgently, prompting the two to follow. 

The three then turned to leave when Corneo immediately stopped them. “Before you do!”

“Shut up!” Aerith growled.

“Please? This won’t take long.” The fat crime lord stood up and walked casually over to a dragon statue near his bed. “As everyone knows, villains only divulge their plans in a certain situation. But what  _ is  _ that situation?”

Tifa grew confused.  _ What the hell was Corneo getting at? _

Aerith looked over at Tifa with confusion etched on her face. Cloud appeared to be thinking about the question, and after a few seconds, he slowly lifted his finger and pointed directly at Corneo. 

“When they think they’ve already won...right?” He said rather stoically. 

Corneo grinned a toothy smile, causing Tifa to shudder.  _ This can’t be good _ .

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have ourselves a winner!” Corneo shouted. He started flaunting himself and danced awkwardly, causing Tifa’s insides to suddenly drop.

_ This is a set-up--- _

Corneo stopped in front of the dragon’s claw and placed his hand on it. “You get an all-expenses paid trip...to the sewers.” Suddenly, he pulled down on the claw, and Tifa felt the ground disappear beneath her. It was a trap door, and she started falling down the long winding pit below. 

“Enjoy the sights and smells!” Corneo howled, laughing as Tifa closed her eyes, hoping that wherever they ended up that they’d come out in one piece. 


	18. Running Out of Time

_ You promised...You promised that if anything were to happen, that you’d come save me.  _

Cloud slowly came to and was immediately appalled by the sudden stench of sewage invading his nostrils. He groaned as he shook off the pain of having fallen a long ways away from Corneo’s Mansion and into the sewers. 

He checked himself for any broken bones. Upon further inspection, he noted that aside from a sore back, he was fine. 

The ex-SOLDIER stood up and noted the dank and dimly lit sewer tunnels and the damp stone floor. There appeared to be an almost hazy look in his surroundings, and the sounds of rushing water flooded the area around him. “So much for that,” he said to himself. That was when Cloud turned around and noticed two huddled figures lying on the ground. 

Tifa and Aerith were unconscious, having hit their heads against the concrete. Cloud hurried over to check on them. He decided to check on Tifa first. 

“Tifa.”

She stirred and groaned. “Cloud…” Tifa appeared to examine her surroundings. “We have to get back to the slums, right now!”

“Yeah,” he nodded. Tifa then shifted her attention over to Aerith who appeared to still be out cold. “I didn’t mean to drag Aerith into all this...any of it.” 

“She’ll understand,” Cloud said simply. “More importantly, how are you doing?”

“I’m fine...nothing happened obviously,” Tifa said. “But, I guess you’re OK too?”

“More or less, Corneo’s not my type,” he joked, coaxing a small smile out of Tifa. Cloud slowly rose and walked over to Aerith. “Hey, are you OK?”

The flower girl groaned and shook her head. “This sucks…” As she slowly rose to her feet, something seemed amiss.

Suddenly, off in the distance, the group heard a faint rumbling and growling. “What the hell was that?” Aerith asked, her eyes widening. “Uh…” Before she could finish, the growling grew louder and the walls and floors started shaking as something massive started heading their way. 

“Shit!” Cloud exclaimed. He drew his sword, as Tifa got into her fighting position and Aerith summoned her staive from thin air. With that, a deafening roar shook the tunnels around them, causing some pieces of rubble to fall from deteriorating infrastructure. The waters around them thrashed about, threatening to sweep the trio off their platform. 

A deformed, ugly beast with horns and hooves for feet appeared from one of the tunnels and started pounding its fists against its chest. It had a forked tongue that seemed to be whipping around and its yellow slit eyes honed in on its prey. Shackles around its wrists threatened to smash against anything unwittingly in its path. 

Cloud flipped backwards as he avoided some of the chains that were flying around. He gritted his teeth and swung his sword down forcefully against the creature’s head, where two horns were positioned. The beast roared again and grabbed a hold of his ankle and swung the man around like a rag doll. 

Soon, all he could see was a blur of colors and the distant sounds of his friends trying to get the monster to release him.“Cloud!” Aerith summoned some lightning and zapped the creature, though it did little. Tifa ran forward and started assaulting the beast with numerous fast flying hits to the stomach and to its legs. 

“Aerith! Try casting some fire!” Tifa shouted over the deafening roars. The fighter then summoned some inner strength and performed a somersault kick off the monster’s face, prompting it to squeal in pain. 

The flower girl aimed her staive at the creature that suddenly leapt up onto some of the highest corners of the room, and released powerful flames that hit its mark. It appeared to be super effective as Cloud loosened himself from the monster’s grip and landed carefully on his feet without much injury.

“Woah!” Aerith narrowly avoided a powerful jetstream that the creature somehow summoned, by rolling out of the way. Tifa immediately fired herself up and flew into another sail of attacks. 

Cloud grasped his sword and attacked close-range by slicing through the creature’s tough skin with the blade. Side by side with Tifa, they continued to strike while Aerith provided support from the rear with her magic. 

“Gah!” Tifa suddenly was thrown back with a swipe from the monster, landing with a loud  _ thump  _ against the cold concrete. Cloud immediately swung through the creature with his sword, prompting it to screech and back off. Soon, it disappeared into one of the neighboring tunnels before he could finish it off. 

“Tifa!” Cloud ran over to her as Aerith quickly summoned some healing spells to cure her of any injuries. The fighter shook her head in a daze. 

“That hurt,” she said. 

“You OK?” Cloud asked worriedly. That swipe was rather aggressive and struck her in a certain way, normally, he’d be able to take hits like that as he has enhanced features from SOLDIER, but Tifa…

“I’ll be fine.” The girl stood up and dusted herself off. “I can take a couple knocks or two.” Tifa then frowned and turned around. “I can’t stop thinking about what Corneo said.”

“Don’t worry, if Corneo’s lying, then there’s no foul,” Aerith replied. “We should still keep going and try to make it.”

“Right,” she answered. Cloud watched Tifa, noting the determination glowing behind her ruby eyes. Suddenly, she started sprinting ahead. 

“Tifa!” Cloud called after her. Aerith shook her head and ran after her friend while Cloud followed closely behind. Soon they were navigating the sewer system trying to find the route that would take them directly to Sector 7. After working through some levers and crossing over some bridges, they were making significant progress. 

Tifa seemed consumed with her thoughts, and Cloud wasn’t sure what he could say that would cheer her up. Aerith, however, apparently knew exactly how to make her feel better about the situation. 

“Hey, think of something that you’ll look forward to, like after you save Sector 7, you’ll…” Aerith said lightly. 

“I’ll…” Tifa thought about it. “Go shopping. Top side. I’ll buy decorations for the bar, coasters!”

“Can I come?” Aerith asked. 

“You’d better!” Tifa teased.

“Then it’s a date,” Aerith replied brightly. The two girls laughed as Cloud followed them. He could overhear them chattering about him and something about a Chocobo. 

“What was it about me?” He called out to them. 

“Nothing!” Tifa said with a wink. Just as they were about to cross over another bridge, the ground started crumbling beneath them. 

“No way!” Tifa said while trying to balance herself.

“C’mon Tifa!” Aerith said, grabbing Tifa’s hand and running across the bridge. Cloud tried to follow, but the bridge completely gave way leaving him to fall through the air and land in the sludge. 

“Cloud!” Aerith said as she held out her staive to him which he grabbed. Aerith and Tifa started pulling on the staff together, gritting their teeth as they tried to pull him up. “Hold on tight.”

“On three,” Tifa said. “One...two...THREE!”

The girls tugged and pulled. Cloud managed to get back onto the same level as the other two and breathed a sigh of relief as the others panted. 

“Sorry about that,” Cloud said sheepishly. 

“No need to be,” Aerith replied. Tifa continued looking ahead. 

“Guys...what’s that noise?” Tifa asked worriedly. The three of them had made it to some generator room, and while the loud noises of the water being filtered through the system rang off the walls, there was an underlying sound that oddly felt less human. 

Suddenly, Tifa shouted as a bunch of turtle looking creatures hopped up from the water and held out spears. Their disgusting faces seemed intrigued by the three people in front of them. 

“What are those things?” Tifa cried out. 

One of the turtles licked its lips with a long slimy tongue, and Aerith shook. “We’re not delicious! Not even a little bit!”

Cloud drew his sword and pulled himself to the front. “Get going!” Aerith nodded and started running for the ladder while he took a couple swipes at the monsters. He watched as Tifa started beating against one of them, finishing one off with an uppercut. 

Tifa and Cloud put their backs against each other as the monsters started inching toward them with hungry looks in their eyes. “You too!” Cloud directed at Tifa. 

“But there’s too many of them!” She shouted, looking on in dismay. 

“Not for me,” he said. The least he could do was try to give Aerith and Tifa some time to get out of the sewers before they got swarmed. 

Tifa hesitated before running towards the ladder. She whipped her head back and shouted at him. “Hurry!”

Cloud shifted his attention back on the growing mob of creatures that appeared bent on devouring him. “Come any closer or die!” The ex-SOLDIER sliced through a couple of them, sending bodies over the railing and into the water in bloody piles. 

“Cloud! C’mon! We gotta go!” Aerith shouted over the noise. She sounded distant, meaning she already climbed out of the tunnel. “Hurry up!”

The ex-SOLDIER swung his sword one last time before dashing to the ladder, climbing each rung as if his life depended on it. He could feel the monsters snapping at his heels. He kept focused on trying to get out. The distance was closing, and the first thing he could see was Tifa and Aerith peering down at him fearfully. 

“Cloud! You’re almost there!” Tifa shouted. “C’mon!”

He quickly reached up and pulled himself out of the sewers while Tifa and Aerith shoved the manhole cover on top, sealing off the hellish nightmare down below. 

* * *

The trio breathed heavily, sweating from what they just escaped. Aerith sighed and dusted off her dress. “Well, that’s one place I’d rather not revisit.”

“You can say that again,” Tifa replied, her eyes glistening. “But, where are we?”

Cloud looked around them. There were abandoned train cars and tracks strewn about in a random fashion, almost blocking certain paths. Some cars were lit, and others weren’t. It looked like a massive maze, and in an eerie fashion, seemed deliberate. 

“What is this place?” Aerith asked, looking around her. “It feels...like there’s people trapped here. But, they’ve been trapped here for a really long time.”

“We don’t have time!” Tifa shouted. “C’mon. We have to keep moving and get to the slums, now!”

“Right,” Aerith said quickly. The two girls headed out, while Cloud followed closely behind, paying close attention to anything that might be slightly out of the norm. So far, it was just quiet with the only sounds coming from the steps they took that silently echoed. 

“This is the Train Graveyard,” Tifa said quietly. Cloud looked at her. “Marlene talked about this place.”

“Who’s Marlene?”

“She’s Barret’s daughter,” the fighter answered. “You probably didn’t meet her, but I’ve been taking care of her since I started working for Avalanche.”

Cloud stared down at his boots. “So, you haven’t been going out to the bombings then?”

Tifa shook her head. “No. I was mostly around to take care of the bar and to watch out for Marlene while they were gone on their missions. I was never on board with the bombings.”

There was an instant weight that was lifted from his shoulders as Cloud continued walking alongside Tifa and Aerith. So, she  _ wasn’t  _ directly involved with the bombings that killed all those innocent people. Instead, she was just an innocent girl who got in the middle of things and felt trapped. 

Yet, Tifa’s eyes seemed so conflicted. Despite her separation from what happened, she seemed to look guilty. 

“Tifa?” Aerith asked quietly. 

“It’s nothing,” Tifa replied with a strained smile. “Really, I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”

“Tifa…”

“Look, we need to focus on getting back to the slums,” Tifa said firmly. “I can’t get caught up in my thoughts right now. If I do, then more people could get hurt or worse. We’ll talk more about it later.”

Cloud sighed and caught Aerith’s stare. He felt at a loss, and so decided to shift the conversation. “What exactly is the Train Graveyard?”

“It’s a place where all the obsolete or decommissioned trains would go when they’re officially retired,” Tifa answered. “Marlene said that there were spirits here that would whisk you away and that to stay ‘far far away’ from here.” She shivered. “So I’ve been told.”

She stared down at her boots. “I-I never mentioned this, but I just get freaked out easily.” Suddenly, there was a distant sound of wailing and Tifa immediately jumped into the air and scrambled behind Cloud, who felt his own nerves starting to show. He wasn’t fond of spirits either. 

“Cloud?” Aerith asked, cocking her head. “They’re not going to hurt you.”

“Ghosts aren’t really my thing,” he replied. “I totally get you, Tifa. This isn’t...yeah, I’m not really interested in meeting any dead things.”

“Oh you two,” Aerith scoffed. “We have nothing to worry about! Don’t forget, we got a bodyguard! Right?” The flower girl asked, though Tifa and Cloud immediately exchanged nervous glances and tried to hide their discomfort. 

“You don’t like ghosts, Tifa?” Aerith asked gently. Tifa shook her head, though almost apologetically. “It’s alright. We all are scared of things that we don’t really understand. When we don’t know anything about something, our first instinct is to run away, right?”

Cloud tilted his head. He wasn’t exactly sure where Aerith was going with all of this. 

“But, when you slowly start learning and open your heart, you start understanding things,” the flower girl said. “You learn that in the end, every single one of us has something to fear. It’s whether you let it consume you, or you let go and embrace the unknown. That’s when your true power will show itself.”

Tifa seemed to consider this. “Well, I guess you’re right. But, I’m not really in the mood to try and figure that out today. We have so many people counting on us to make sure they’re safe, and I’m not ready to let them down, are you?”

“That’s the spirit!” Aerith said brightly. Cloud smiled. Aerith always seemed to know the right thing to say in order to uplift those around her. Tifa just needs a little confidence in herself, and she’ll be heading in with no hesitation. No regrets. No surrender.

“C’mon! Follow me,” Aerith said with a smile. She fearlessly led the group through the graveyard. The occasional noise would startle Tifa, making her cling to Cloud who didn’t necessarily mind her doing so. However, he was also getting nervous. There was no telling what might pop out, including monsters. 

“Aerith...you sure you know where you’re going?” Tifa asked worriedly.

“I have absolutely no idea,” Aerith answered simply. “I’m just going with my gut.”

“Aerith!” Tifa shouted. “We need to get to the pillar! We can’t just depend on instinct to get us where we need to be.”

“Trust me,” the flower girl said. “I can’t explain it, but I know the way. I’ve got friends in high places.”

“Huh?” The fighter seemed perturbed. “Aerith…”

“Tifa, seriously. Trust me. You need to just let things happen.” Aerith answered. “I...I know more than you think.”

Silence fell as Tifa sighed and nodded. She slowly released her grip on Cloud’s arm as she followed Aerith, while Cloud hung around near the back to make sure they wouldn’t get ambushed by any unforeseen forces. 

Suddenly, Tifa’s head jerked up. “What was that?”

“Huh? I didn’t hear anything,” Cloud said with a frown. There was nothing that seemed out of the ordinary, yet Tifa and Aerith appeared to be tense. “What’s going—”

There was a low moaning noise, and rattling of some kind coming from a train car. Cloud craned his head and narrowly avoided getting struck in the face by a metal panel that detached itself from the siding of one car. The loud resounding metal clanging against the ground prompted squeals of ghostly laughter ringing through the air. 

“Shit...what was that?” Cloud asked. 

“They know we’re here,” Aerith said quietly. “They don’t like that we’re here and they’re wanting us to get out before  _ it  _ comes.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Cloud asked, annoyed. “What do you mean,  _ it _ ?”

“There’s something here that’s been terrorizing these spirits,” Aerith said, looking almost ethereal in the gloomy glow of the lit cable cars. “They’re...trying to tell me.”

“Aerith? You can understand them?” Tifa asked in a surprised tone. “How long---”

“Tifa!” Cloud shoved Tifa to the ground, covering her as another panel was hurled at her. Aerith jumped aside and fearfully looked up and screamed. 

“Run!” The flower girl shouted. Cloud and Tifa looked up, horrified at the shaking metal girders that were being pulled from their rivets and bases. Their sharp metal angled in a way of a harpoon. Immediately, Cloud helped Tifa up and they avoided getting skewered by an unseen assailant. 

“Aerith?!” Tifa shouted. “Are you OK?”

“I’m fine.” The flower girl clasped her hands together, almost as if she was praying. “There’s something here hurting them. We need to free them!”

Suddenly a whirlwind started circling around them, spirits wailed and zoomed overhead. The trio put their backs against each other’s, protecting one another as the whirlwind continued to try and carry them away. Aerith clenched her jaw while she summoned a magical barrier to prevent the ghosts from taking swipes at them. 

“Something’s wrong, they’re afraid!” Aerith shouted over the gale. “They can’t get away from here! They’re trapped!”

A blunt force knocked the flower girl off her feet, crashing into a nearby train car, causing her to blackout. 

“Aerith!” Cloud shouted over the gust, it was then he noticed an immense shadow appearing from the darkness that materialized into an unworldly being with a scythe and a monstrous undead horse pulling a carriage. The horse neighed in such a sinister fashion that it shook the earth around them. 

Tifa immediately ran to Aerith to check on her. “Cloud! You take care of that thing!” She shouted over the wind. “I’ll protect Aerith.”

The swordsman nodded and drew his sword from the hilt and moved immediately to start dispatching the creature that appeared from thin air. It tried striking Cloud with its scythe, the menacing metal slicing through the air, narrowly missing him. 

“What the hell is this thing?” Cloud shouted. He jumped back and tried to dodge another series of swipes as he avoided getting trampled by the horse and the carriage wheels. The ex-SOLDIER looked back and to his relief, Aerith seemed unscathed and was coming around, while Tifa stood in defensive mode trying to keep off any additional spectors from descending on top of them. 

“It’s...an Eligor!” Aerith spoke through gritted teeth. 

“I don’t care what it is, that shit can go die!” Cloud shouted. 

With that, Tifa helped the flower girl up and the two dodged lasers that were being shot at them from the Eligor. 

“Tifa!” Cloud shouted out to her. “Are you OK?”

“I’m fine!” She shouted back. “We need to get this done! We can’t waste anymore time!”

Just then, Tifa avoided a swipe from the Eligor and immediately started wailing on it with a series of blows, kicks and punches in rapid succession. Cloud grew more impressed with how Tifa was able to hold her own in attacking these beasts. Despite her saying that she never fought before, these moves were that of a seasoned professional and prodigy. 

Aerith rose to her feet and started healing herself. Cloud sighed in relief. At least his friends weren’t going to be down for the count. Not when so many things were starting to fall apart and so many were depending on them to stop Shinra from doing the unthinkable. 

The trio assaulted the Eligor, the snorts from the horse and the screams from the creature swinging the scythe filled the air like an endless blood lust. Tifa threw herself underneath the carriage, sliding beneath the horse and performed a powerful series of strikes against the belly, prompting it to rear its ugly head. 

Cloud ran forward and started performing his Cross Slash limit break, stunning the creature and causing the monster to stumble backward. Aerith shot lightning strikes against it, stunning the horse. She then quickly summoned a barrier that protected the three of them from getting knocked around by some of the spirits lingering around them. 

Tifa’s eyes widened as it appeared that she heard something off in the distance. “People are screaming,” she said, looking horrified. “Oh no! Cloud...I think...I think Shinra’s there already!” Just as she finished saying this, gunshots could be heard in the distance as well as a couple of explosives going off. From what Cloud could gather, he could imagine that Avalanche was probably facing off with Shinra forces. 

It was going to end in a disaster if the three of them didn’t make it to the pillar in time. Time was running out, and they were being held captive by this being that seemed intent on standing in their way. The ex-SOLDIER gritted his teeth as all of a sudden, he saw that the creature was about to take another swing at a distracted Tifa. 

“NO!” Cloud immediately rushed forward and parried the scythe with his sword, preventing the Eligor from sneaking an attack on Tifa. “Back off you piece of shit.”   
  


With a violent slash, the creature roared and knocked Cloud and Tifa back several feet, skidding against the stone paths, knocking over metal bins along the way. Tifa coughed as the dust settled around them, her eyes were squinting through the haze of the dust in the air, and immediately she shoved Cloud off to the side to avoid lasers shot from the creature’s scythe. 

“Shit! Aerith!” Tifa sprang up to her feet and ran towards the flower girl who seemed to be caught off-guard. The creature aimed lasers at her, and the fighter pushed her out of the way, and the two girls tumbled away. Cloud rushed the Eligor, slashing through it again. 

Just as he was about to land a deathblow onto it, the Eligor drove the carriage off in a rapid circle, the horse galloping rapidly and surrounding the group.  _ This is not good,  _ Cloud thought as the monster suddenly shot numerous lasers at the three of them, striking them all in rapid succession. 

“Gah!” Cloud keeled over, holding onto his sword and he noticed how Tifa and Aerith were kneeling too. They were running out of energy, and at this rate, they wouldn’t be able to defeat the Eligor in time. They needed a break, now. 

Tifa seemed to read Cloud’s mind, and somehow managed to pull herself up and cast a Slow spell on the creature, prompting it to suddenly stop zipping around them. It was enough for Aerith, who raised her staive and cast her limit break Healing Wind, a cool refreshing breeze with holy light encircled them all, rejuvenating their health and healing their injuries. 

Cloud with renewed strength, ran forward and performed his Climhazzard limit break. He sliced through the creature effectively, stunning it as it teetered backwards. 

“You can go to hell!” Tifa shouted. She ran forward, jumped and performed a backward somersault kick off the monster’s face, sending it back before completely dissolving. Wisps of spiritual orbs and light floated around them, signaling that the ghosts were finally at ease.

Aerith sighed while Cloud and Tifa were beginning to resituate themselves after the unexpected encounter. “Eligors are really rare to find,” she said quietly. “Things must be bad if they show up.”

“Doesn’t matter now,” Cloud answered grumpily. He placed his sword back onto his back. “We lost a lot of valuable time dealing with that thing--”

He immediately silenced himself as he saw Tifa’s devastated face. Her look of despair as the sounds of explosions and screams were echoing in the background sent knives through Cloud’s heart. He never expected to feel connected to anyone this way, but for whatever reason, disappointing Tifa or letting her down made him angrier. 

“Tifa.” Cloud tried to get her attention. But her eyes were locked on the distant sight of the pillar. There were flashing lights, indicating gunfire. The fighter was here, but she was almost a million miles away. 

“The only thing we can do now, is to keep going,” Aerith told her gently. Tifa shifted her gaze before she tried to steady her own breath. 

“Please...please let us make it in time.”


	19. Almost

By the time that Cloud, Tifa and Aerith made it to the pillar, there were already so many people gathered at the base, their panicked screams cut through the air like a sword. Tifa couldn’t bear to look at the children who clung to their parents, their scared faces seared into her thoughts. 

_ They’re all going to die because I didn’t stop this _ , Tifa thought.  _ I...I shouldn’t have gotten involved. I shouldn’t have gone this far by letting Avalanche go on those missions. What’s to be gained from all of this?  _

Shinra infantry were already barricading and blocking off exit points, trying to keep the residents sealed inside and preventing them from escaping their fate. Tifa felt her heart burst from anger and resentment.  _ How can Shinra kill all of these innocent people, just to get to us?! I’ll never forgive them for this...NEVER.  _

“Tifa!” Aerith cried, pointing up to the sky. Tifa looked up and was mortified at the sight of a large man falling through the air. He tried to aim his grappling gun, but it fell out of his hands. He kept falling and screaming...until he hit the ground with a sickening thud and crunch. 

It was then, Tifa recognized who the man was. 

“WEDGE!” Tifa cried. She ran toward her fallen comrade who appeared bruised and covered in soot. “Wedge! Speak to me. Are you OK?!”

It frightened Tifa to see Wedge this way. He was normally the goofy, light-hearted guy of Avalanche that always wanted to prove himself. This wasn’t the way it was supposed to be. His head hit the ground when he fell from that height, and knowing the extent of his injuries...he wasn’t going to make it. 

“Oh Wedge…” Tifa sobbed. She was wracked with guilt as pandemonium kept happening around her. 

“T-Tifa…” Wedge’s voice gurgled from blood trickling out of his mouth. “Z-Zack...B-Barret...they’re all up there.”

“Don’t waste your energy,” Tifa said, trying to keep herself composed. “Oh, god Wedge...how did it come to this?!”

Tifa looked around her, trying to search for Aerith, who was the most capable at healing. Though, when she locked eyes with her friend, Aerith shook her head slowly. Wedge was doomed to die. His injuries were far too great to be cured. He’d die here. 

“No...Wedge!” Tifa cried out. “You have to hang in there!”

“G-Go help them,” Wedge whispered. His brown eyes were glazed over. “D-Did I do alright?”

“You did more than enough,” Tifa reassured him. She gripped his hand as his breathing slowed. “You can rest now.”

With that Wedge died. Tifa felt an immense rage burn in her blood as she looked up at the pillar. Cloud appeared to be thinking similarly. Although he didn’t have a connection with Avalanche, Zack was fighting up there and that was probably the thing that was going through his mind. 

“Cloud?” She whispered. 

It didn’t take long for Cloud to make a decision. He shouted at the crowds. “Get back! Get out of Sector 7! They’re going to drop the plate on the slums! You will die if you don’t leave now!”

Emerging from the crowds of people was Marle. “I never thought Shinra would stoop so low,” the landlady said quietly. She turned to Tifa and Cloud. “You need to get up there. Now. I’ll help get everyone out of here.”

Marle slowly turned her attention to the people and started ordering them to head to the exits and beat down the barricades. Shinra forces appeared conflicted on what to do, but appeared determined not to allow anyone to leave the slums. 

"How can Shinra do this? It's...too cruel." Tifa looked up and noted how dauntingly tall the pillar was. Her anxiety started rearing its ugly head. She tried to slow her breathing down, but knew that this was do or die. 

"I'm going."

Tifa broke out of her thoughts and saw that Cloud was preparing to head up the stairs. "Huh?"

“I’m going up!” Cloud shouted. “Don’t wait for me. Go and get out of Sector 7. Get out of here, both of you!” The ex-SOLDIER then started bounding up the stairs, racing against the clock to reach the top of the pillar to help out in any way that he could. 

Tifa watched Cloud running further and further away from her. After everything they just went through, he was still willing to go help Zack and Barret. Then it dawned on Tifa that there was one little girl who wasn’t here, her life in great danger.  _ Marlene.  _

“Shit! The fighter cried out. Aerith looked confused, though Tifa looked on fearfully. “She’s still back at the bar! We have to go get her!”

“Where is she, Tifa?” Aerith asked. “Where’s the bar?”

“It’s down that road,” the fighter nodded. “You go down several blocks and make a left. The bar should be right at the center. But--”

“I’ll find her,” Aerith said simply. Her eyes were determined and her demeanor collected. “You’re talking about Marlene, right Tifa? Don’t worry, I’ll find her. You go and follow your heart.”

Tifa couldn’t help but feel grateful for Aerith who seemed hell bent on getting Marlene, even though she was a complete stranger. That left her to go up the tower to follow Cloud and help them as much as she could. With a nod, the fighter started running up the metal staircase, passing by several dead bodies along the way. 

On one of the flights of stairs, Tifa gasped as she saw the dying Biggs leaned up against the wall. His chest riddled with bullet holes and blood pouring out of them. His eyes locked with Tifa’s, he smiled. “Hey there.”

“Biggs…” Tifa shouted. She was about to get closer to him, but Biggs lifted a hand and motioned for her to keep running. Yet, she felt her feet root themselves into the ground. “Biggs!”

“Tifa...I’m a goner,” he replied. “Don’t waste anymore time. The rest are up there. You need to go get to them. Stop them from destroying Sector 7 because of us. Please...atone for my sins.”

Biggs grimaced. “I saw your boyfriend run through here. He gave me some painkillers to help me through the pain until I’m done...he’s...a good guy.” He then started leaning his head back. “I’m sorry Tifa...guess I was wrong about him...tell Barret and Zack...it’s been a ride.”

Biggs groaned and slowly began to succumb to his injuries. Tifa panicked and tried to keep him from going unconscious, but she knew it’d be inevitable that her friend would be dead. There was no stopping it, and yet, Tifa wished there was more she could do. 

Gently, Biggs summoned his last bit of strength to get Tifa to look him in the face. “Hey...you know, you’re doing great. You’re not the same girl who walked into the bar all those weeks ago. You’re...a fighter. Warrior. Hold onto that...hold onto that…”

WIth that, the Avalanche member fell silent. His eyes half-lidded and blood continued to seep from his wounds. Biggs was gone, and Tifa was left to keep going, despite seeing her friends beginning to die off.  _ This isn’t real,  _ Tifa thought as she ran.  _ This can’t be happening. Not because of me. Please.  _

Tifa ran several more flights of stairs, and then, she spotted Cloud who was hiding behind several metal canisters that were lined up against the landing. A helicopter shot at him, though he avoided getting hit. If only she could reach him…

_ Attention Avalanche scum _ , a voice called through the speakers from the helicopter.  _ We have you surrounded. Come out with your hands in the air and surrender yourselves. This is the last warning.  _

She ran up the stairs, hoping to reach him when suddenly, the helicopter shot a barrage of bullets on the stairs ahead of her, the metal steps giving way under her feet. Tifa leaped across, screaming for Cloud, who noticed her coming towards him mid-air, possibly falling to her certain death. 

“Cloud!”

Tifa reached out for him, and Cloud stretched his own arm to catch hers. Once she felt his palm slide into hers, he pulled her into him and away from harm’s way. He peered around the corner as she caught her breath. Immediately, he turned to her angrily. 

“What the hell?!” He reprimanded her. 

“Nice catch…” Tifa breathed. 

“You’re crazy.” Cloud’s mako-blue eyes glowed fiercely at her. Tifa shook her head. 

“Just like you,” she said. Now knowing that two of her friends were dead, Tifa was in no mood to argue with Cloud. Not by a long shot. “So suck it up, ‘cuz I’m not leaving.”

Cloud appeared to be struggling with this new development and he then nodded. “Let’s get going then. Stay close behind me.”

The two kept running. Each turn was met with bullets and fire burning. The intense heat from the flames singed Tifa’s hair and clothes. Yet, she kept running. There were too many people who were about to die because of Avalanche, and this was her way of making up for it. She needed to stop the bombing. She needed to stop the killings. 

Just as Tifa was about to go up another flight of stairs, she saw Jessie facing the helicopter with a grenade in her hand. When she pulled the pin and threw it into the cockpit, Tifa assumed that it would explode from her friend’s precision. Yet, that’s not what happened. 

It all happened too fast. No sound came from the explosion or the screams that Tifa let out of her mouth. The grenade somehow was hurled back at Jessie, exploding upon contact, showering the girl with rubble, burying her. Cloud must’ve noticed too, as he ran alongside Tifa to remove the slabs of shattered concrete off of Jessie’s body. 

The fighter thought for sure Jessie died, when she heard a faint voice. “Tifa.” Jessie’s beautiful eyes locked with hers, she was attempting to smile, though Tifa knew that the wounds were far too grave. She was dying. 

“If you could see the look on your face, Tifa,” Jessie said, trying to breathe through her pain. Her ribs were broken, and her legs were mangled. There was no surviving this. Cloud appeared to take notice and slowly, lifted Jessie and put her off to the side, resting against a pillar. 

“Hey handsome, look at you being my rescuer,” Jessie said in a feeble attempt to joke with him. “I guess you’re the one who’’ll hear my last words...lucky me.”

“Don’t talk.” Cloud tried to assess her wounds, but Jessie merely laughed. 

“I guess I had this coming,” the Avalanche member said. Her ponytail was undone, blood poured from her head that soaked the red band that was tied around the forehead. “Those bombs...were mine...all of them were my victims...I deserved this.”

“Jessie!” Tifa said, slumped over her friend. “Please...I can’t lose you too!”

“You still have Barret...Zack...and this guy…” Jessie tried to lift her hands, but she was growing weak. Her eyes were glossing over. “I’ll have to answer for this...this is my sin...this is what I deserve…”

Jessie tried to speak further, but her voice was giving out. “I’m sorry Tifa...I wish...I could’ve had you over for pizza. Looks like...I might not be able to do that anymore.” The older girl then started crying. “I really believed we could.”

“Shut up, you’re gonna make it through this,” Cloud said forcefully. Though, his voice was starting to crack. Tifa looked on as she felt the weight of the loss beginning to pull her under. She felt as if she was about to drown beneath the crashing waves. Each loss of life...would be her burden to carry for the rest of her life. 

“I barely know you...yet...I wish I could’ve had more time to get to know you,” Jessie smirked, though she appeared to grow more ragged with each breath. “Take good care of Tifa...you guys...look good together.”

Tifa sobbed uncontrollably. This was too cruel. She then felt a slight touch on her hand, and she realized that Jessie was giving her a fist bump. “Don’t you two...have somewhere you need to be? It’s not polite to stare, you know…”

It was then, Jessie died. Her breathing stopped, and the world was lighting up in flames. Tifa couldn’t see how she could keep going after this, but Cloud motioned for her to keep going. They still had people they needed to protect. This wasn’t over. It couldn’t be over now. They still are in the race. 

“Tifa...I know it sucks...but we have to keep going, OK?” Cloud said firmly, though not unkindly. He held out his gloved hand to her. “C’mon. You and I can still make it to Zack and Barret. Their sacrifices won’t be in vain. Do it for them.”

Tifa didn’t want to move. She wanted to be back at the Honeybee Inn, dancing the night away for gil and then rest in her apartment at Stargazer Heights. It seemed impossible that she and Cloud went on that date, and then suddenly facing these atrocities head on. It felt cruel. It felt inhumane, yet Tifa knew that this was what Shinra was like all along. She looked at Cloud’s hand, and slowly reached for it. 

Once she felt his grip tighten around her, Tifa pulled herself together. She couldn’t cry. She’d have time for that later. She needed to go stop Shinra from massacring all those innocent people. It was on her now. Tifa didn’t know where her strength came, but she found herself running like the wind, sprinting up the stairs with Cloud following closely behind her. 

Tifa couldn’t think of anything else but to reach the top and to save Barret and Zack from getting killed. No more. No more lives to be sacrificed. She would make sure of that. She was so consumed in her inner fire that she didn’t realize that she made it to the top of the pillar, where there were multiple dead people strewn about from bullet holes. 

A man fired a volley of shots against a helicopter swarming above them, while another was combatting two men wearing suits. Tifa’s eyes widened. “Zack! Barret!” The two men seemed startled and shifted their gazed temporarily on Tifa, their eyes widening at the sight of her and Cloud bounding up the steps. 

“Tifa! Cloud!” Zack shouted over the roar of the helicopter blades whirring above them. “You made it!”

“It’s about time!” Barret roared, shooting additional rounds at the two men who were trying to attack them. Tifa couldn’t recognize them, though they appeared to be affiliated with Shinra by the way they were dressed. One had a long red ponytail, and the other wore shades. 

The man with the ponytail spotted Cloud and snarled. “Oh! You’re back for more, SOLDIER boy?” He then started running towards Cloud with an electro rod, sputtering sparks from the tip. Cloud immediately sprang backwards, dodging the swings. 

Tifa shifted her attention to the bald man who appeared less than willing to fight her, for whatever reason. “Who are you guys?” She asked. “What do you want?”

“We’re the Turks!” The red-haired man shouted. “Don’t you forget it! We’re the top of the top, and we’re here to finish off traitors to the Shinra Company. That includes these two right here!” 

“Reno! Seriously?” Zack shouted. “I thought we were friends!”

“I’m not friends with folks who think they’re above Shinra,” Reno scoffed. “You fucking deserter!” He started brawling with Zack who took swings with his Buster Sword. Meanwhile Tifa started sparring with the bald man, who seemed to refrain from attacking her outright. Instead, dodging her kicks and punches. 

“C’mon! Fight!” Tifa said through gritted teeth. The bald man merely kept blocking her attacks and instead, started running towards Cloud who had his back turned. “Cloud! Behind!”

The ex-SOLDIER flipped and avoided getting hit by the bald man. He gritted his teeth and tried to strike him with the butt of his sword. “Quick bastard aren’t you?” Cloud then spun around and attempted to slash the bald man, though he was a bit quicker to dodge those attacks. “Sticking your nose into people’s business where they don’t belong!”

“The name’s Rude,” the man said. “What you do to my partner is my business.” He then kicked Cloud in the stomach, causing the ex-SOLDIER to fall to his knee, grunting in pain. Just as Rude was about to deliver a blow to the back of Cloud’s neck, Tifa immediately came through and swiped him through the ankles with her low kick, prompting Rude to fall over in surprise. 

“STAY AWAY FROM HIM!” Tifa shouted. She ran through Rude several times, unleashing a wide fury of attacks that each hit its mark, prompting the Turk to grunt in pain. She was about to deliver a punishing blow when she felt her back seize up before she felt a surge of electricity run through her body, causing unbelievable pain. 

“GAH!” Tifa collapsed, feeling herself twitch from the electrocution. Everything hurt. The burns she suffered on her arms and legs, she didn’t know what happened. Then her eyes landed on Reno, who smirked at her while folding up his rod.

“Whoops,” he said with a grin. “Sorry, sexy. Can’t have you hurting my partner.” 

“Tifa!” Zack came in and started slashing at Reno who dodged the man’s swipes easily. “Reno! Enough!” He parried several blows that Reno threw at him, effectively blocking them. His mako-blue eyes glowed fiercely, and with immense strength, he threw the Turk back, crashing into the railings surrounding the platform. 

Tifa’s eyes widened. Seeing Zack come to her rescue stirred something in her as he furiously continued to attack Reno, though the Turk was more than incapcitated. It actually started to frighten her. “Zack!” She tried to pull herself up, but her knees buckled. “Zack! Stop it! Don’t kill him. I’m fine!”

When Zack was about to slash down onto an unconscious Reno, Cloud suddenly stepped in front of him, blocking Zack. “Cloud! Get out of the way!”

“No! Zack! Stop…” Cloud said, shaking his head. “He’s already down. Don’t do it!”

“Cloud---”

“Remember! Protect your honor as SOLDIER!” Cloud shouted. His eyes glowed. “This isn’t you, Zack! Remember who you are!”

Tifa’s eyes glimmered, watching the two ex-SOLDIERs facing each other. Zack then slowly backed off, sighing before shouldering the Buster Sword. 

It was Rude who slid underneath him and grabbed his fallen partner. He glared at them all through his shades as he lifted up a controller. Tifa panicked seeing that it was the controller that could release the plate remotely. 

“NO! DON’T---” Tifa screamed. She reached toward Rude who immediately pressed the button. Sirens suddenly blared and the pillar started to shake. “No, no no…” The fighter watched in horror as numerous explosions rocked the pillar, sending down slabs of concrete down below like meteor showers. The glow from the fiery destruction glowed in Tifa’s carmine eyes as she couldn’t hear herself scream anymore. Instead, she watched as the steel supports started bending and snapping out of place. 

“NO! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!” Barret roared at Rude who slung Reno over his shoulder. “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!”

Rude didn’t answer, merely boarding the helicopter that landed itself on the pillar’s platform. Tifa tried to fight through her injuries, though she couldn’t speak. The world around her was destroying itself, and below she could hear people screaming in mass chaos, trying to avoid the shower of rubble. 

“Please...this can’t be.” Tifa started shutting down. She knew that it’d be devastating if she didn’t move, but she couldn’t find the strength to pull herself together.  _ This was her fault,  _ she thought.  _ If only...If only we got here sooner. _

Suddenly, the monitor at the center of the pillar blipped on, revealing a man with long hair staring at them all. Tifa didn’t recognize him, but evidently, Zack and Cloud did. They growled at the sight. 

“Tseng! What the hell are you doing?!” Zack shouted. “How could you do this to Sector 7?!”

“Zack...you’re alive,” Tseng said coolly. He then nodded at Cloud. “I see two traitors who found each other. How...precious.”

The head Turk then smiled. “We have a mission to crush any opposition to Shinra, and this is the way it has to be. Though...I’ll admit, I have a surprise for you. Especially you, Zack. You might recognize my special guest.”

Tseng moved aside and to Tifa’s horror, Aerith was squirming in the background. Zack’s eyes opened wide as he stared into the eyes of the flower girl who found his. Their expressions were contorted in fear and shock. “AERITH!”

“Zack?! It’s you!” The flower girl then saw Tifa and Cloud, her eyes widening even further. “Tifa! I found Marlene! Don’t worry she’s safe!”

“Marlene? My Marlene!? What did you do with her?!” Barret shouted. Aerith attempted to speak but then Tseng struck her across the face. 

“AERITH!” Zack roared. He gripped his Buster Sword. “Tseng! I TRUSTED YOU!”

“We have our orders to deliver the last Ancient to Shinra, and we have finally done so,” Tseng answered. “Don’t worry, it was all through free will. Aerith agreed to come with us at last.”

Then Tseng examined Zack. “You know...I think Shinra would like to have a word with the famed deserter and answer for all the crimes you’ve committed. Best that you come along.”

Suddenly, Rude zipped past behind Zack and with a well placed strike, knocked him out with a blow to the back of the head. Barret was about to pull out his gun arm and Cloud drew his sword, but Rude immediately threw Zack’s limp body into the helicopter cockpit alongside Reno’s unconscious body before having the helicopter lift off. 

“ZACK!” Tifa cried. She scrambled to her feet. “AERITH!”

“Don’t worry, they’ll see each other again soon,” Tseng replied. “But, you won’t. I’ll be sure to let the whole world know of Avalanche’s evil plot that was foiled by Shinra.”

“But you’re damning an entire community because of Avalanche?!” Tifa shouted. “Where’s the justice in that?! Take us if you’re going to punish people, but leave Sector 7 alone!”

There was a long pause, Tifa thought perhaps she’d be able get through to him. But for the one second he faltered, Tseng merely resumed his cool demeanor. A faint smile appeared on the corners of his lips. His eyes stared them down, but Tifa could see that there was conflict in his eyes. 

“Sacrifices need to be made to ensure the safety of Midgar.” Then the screen went dark.


End file.
